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I • 

LEAVES OF LIFE 

For Daily Inspiration 

BY 

MARGARET BIRD STEINMETZ 




THE ABINGDON PRESS 
NEW YORK CINCINNATI 



B V4 f 1 0 

• s 7 



Copyright, 1914, bj 
MARGARET BIRD STEINMETZ 

The Bible text used in this book is taken from the American Standard 
Edition of the Revised Bible, copyright, 1901, by Thomas 
Nelson & Sons, and is used by permission. 



I 

SEP <4 1914 ! 

j| 

©CLA379651 

1 



DEDICATED 

TO THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED 
IN GATHERING THESE LEAVES— 
AND TO THOSE WHO MAY 
GATHER SOMETHING FROM THEM 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The Macmillan Company, New York, N. Y. 

Shailer Mathews, Jane Addams, Newell Dwight Hillis, 
Marion Crawford. 
The Century Company, New York, N. Y. 

S. Weir Mitchell, Theodore Roosevelt, John Kendrick 
Bangs, Richard Watson Gilder, Edith Thomas. 
Oxford University Press, London, E. C. 

Annie Matheson. 
The Saalfield Publishing Company, Akron, Ohio. 

Joseph Jefferson. 
Mitchell Kennerley, New York. 

Theodosia Garrison: My Litany. 
Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, N. Y. 

Charles W. Eliot: The Durable Satisfactions of Life. 

J. R. Miller. 

The Pilgrim Press, Boston, Mass. 

Henry Ward Beecher. 
Harper & Brothers, New York, N. Y. 

Will Carleton: Farm Legends. 

Margaret E. Sangster: Easter Bells. 
Elbert Hubbard, Roycroft Shop, East Aurora, N. Y. 

Printed by special permission of the publishers: 
W. B. Conkey, Hammond, Ind. 

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, copyrighted 1912. 
National W. C. T. XL, Evanston, 111. 

Frances E. Willard. 
American Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia, Pa. 

W. E. Winks. 
Rand, McNally & Company, Chicago, 111. 

Marie Bashkirtseff. 
Tennesseean and American, Nashville, Tenn. 

G. Rice. 

Cosmopolitan Magazine, New York, N. Y. 
O. Henry. 

The H. M. Rowe Company, Baltimore, Md. 
Edwin Leibfreed: Poems. 

Permission from President Wilson for the excerpts from his 
speeches. 

5 



6 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Mass. 

Kate Douglas Wiggin, Richard Watson Gilder, Josephine 
Peabody, John Hay, Hugo Munsterberg, Edith Thomas, 
Lyman Abbott, John Burroughs, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, 
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Julia Ward Howe, Harriet 
Beecher Stowe, Joel Chandler Harris, Lucy Larcom, 
Bret Harte, Bayard Taylor, Alice Freeman Palmer, 
Thomas W. Higginson. 
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, N. Y. 

Henry van Dyke: Music and Other Poems. 

Maltbie D. Babcock: Thoughts for Every Day Living. 

Sidney Lanier: Poems of Sidney Lanier. 

Robert Bridges: Robert Bridges' Poems. 

George Meredith: Last Poems. 

James Anthony Froude: Short Studies on Great Subjects. 
Robert Louis Stevenson: Poems and Works. 
W. E. Henley: Poems. 
Eugene Field: Western Verse. 

G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London. 

Arthur Christopher Benson: Along the Road, Silent Isle, 
From a College Window, Joyous Gard, Lord Vyet and 
Other Poems. 
Little, Brown & Company, Boston, Mass. 

Emily Dickinson, Laura E. Richards, Edward Everett Hale. 
George H. Doran Company, New York, N. Y. 

Sir Oliver Lodge, Arnold Bennett, J. Stalker, A. H. Begbie. 
Fleming H. Revell Company, New York, N. Y. 

Percy C. Ains worth, E. H. Divall, Margaret E. Sangster, 
J. H. Jowett, George Matheson. 
Longmans, Green & Company, New York and London. 

William James. 
Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, N. Y. 

Maurice Maeterlinck, Hamilton Mabie, Ian Maclaren, 
Jerome K. Jerome, G. K. Chesterton, Paul Laurence 
Dunbar. 

Small, Maynard & Company, Boston, Mass. 

Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, John B. Tabb, Ernest 
Crosby. 

Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company, Boston, Mass. 

Paul Hamilton Hayne. 
Doubleday, Page & Company, Garden City, New York 

Charles Wagner, Edwin Markham, Helen Keller. 
E. P. Dutton Company, New York. 

George Macdonald. 



JANUARY 



Janus am I; oldest of potentates; 

Forward I look, and backward, and below 
I count, as god of avenues and gates, 

The years that through my portals come and go. 

I block the roads, and drift the fields with snow; 

I chase the wild fowl from the frozen fen; 
My frosts congeal the rivers in their flow, 

My fires light up the hearths and hearts of men. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



7 



8 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY FIRST 

Bartolome Esteban Murillo, baptized 1618. 
Paul Revere born 1735. 
Betsy Ross born 1752. 
Maria Edgeworth born 1767. 
Arthur Hugh Clough born 1819. 

Old things need not be therefore true, 
O brother men, nor yet the new; 
Ah! still awhile the old thought retain, 
And yet consider it again! 

We! what do we see? each a space 
Of some few yards before his face; 
Does that the whole wide plan explain? 
Ah, yet consider it again! 

Alas! the great world goes its way, 
And takes its truth from each new day; 
They do not quit, nor can retain, 
Far less consider it again. 

— Arthur Hugh Clough. 

There are two sorts of content; one is connected 
with exertion, the other habits of indolence. The 
first is a virtue; the other a vice. — Maria Edgeworth. 

Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead 
me: 

Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, 

And to thy tabernacles. — Psalm 43. 3. 

Almighty God, lead me in the search for life. 
Teach me what is important and what is unim- 
portant; what is false, and what is true. Remove 
the hindrances that keep me from the worthiest 
deeds, and grant that I may have the peace that 
comes with surrender of self to thy will. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 9 



JANUARY SECOND 

General James Wolfe born 1727. 
Colonial flag first raised 1776. 
Mary Carey Thomas born 1857. 

To what profit we could use the time for our 
present task that we spend in impatient waiting 
and wondering over the future! So often the future 
is just one step up from the present, but some of us 
miss it by preferring to wait for an elevator. 

— M. B. S. 

Prepare to live by all means, but for heaven's sake 
do not forget to live. You will never have a better 
chance than you have at present. You may think 
you will have, but you are mistaken. 

— Arnold Bennett. 

He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall 
scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness 
travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him. 
He that lives on hope will die fasting. 

— Benjamin Franklin. 

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with 
thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor 
knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou 
goest. — Ecclesiastes 9. 10. 

Gracious Father, my heart burns with shame 
when I think how much I claim, and how little I 
am. I pray that my body may not cast a shadow 
to-day, and cloud the light of my life to-morrow. 
Cleanse the windows of my soul that I may take 
in thy glory. Amen. 



10 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY THIRD 

Marcus Tullius Cicero born B. C. 106 
Martin Luther excommunicated 1521. 
Douglas Jerrold born 1803. 
Charles Wagner (France) born 1852. 



To be continually advancing in the paths of 
knowledge is one of the most pleasing satisfactions 
of the human mind. These are pleasures perfectly 
consistent with every degree of advanced years. 

— Cicero. 



Fidelity in small things is at the base of every 
great achievement. We too often forget this, and 
yet no truth needs more to be kept in mind, par- 
ticularly in the troubled eras of history and in the 
crises of individual life. In shipwreck a splintered 
beam, an oar, any scrap of wreckage saves us. To 
despise the remnants is demoralization. 

— Charles Wagner. 



He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also 
in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little 
is unrighteous also in much. — Luke 16. 10. 



Almighty God, may I understand that thou art in 
everything, and that I cannot hide from thee, for 
thou holdest me though I know it not. Give me the 
desire, and help me to learn of thy laws, that I may 
know, that even in the least of things, I have the 
liberty to obtain happiness by obeying them. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 11 



JANUARY FOURTH 

Archbishop Usher born 1580. 
Jacob L. Carl Grimm born 1785. 
Elizabeth Peabody died 1894. 



Years rush by us like the wind, we see not whence 
the eddy comes, nor whitherward it is tending, and 
we seem ourselves to witness their flight without a 
sense that we are changed: and yet time is beguiling 
man of his strength, as the winds rob the trees of 
their foliage. — Sir Walter Scott. 



The bell strikes one. We take no note of Time 

But from its loss. To give it then a tongue 

Is wise in man; as if an angel spoke 

I feel the solemn sound. If heard aright 

It is the knell of my departed hours: 

Where are they? 

— Edward Young. 

Days should speak, 
And multitude of years should teach wisdom. 
And the breath of the Almighty giveth them under- 
standing. 
It is not the great that are wise, 
Nor the aged that understand justice. 

—Job 32. 7, 9. 



Lord God, help me to see my mistakes, and bring 
me to the realization of my life. Grant that I may 
no longer use the time that thou gavest me to learn 
in, heedlessly, but to give it my best thought and care. 
Amen. 



12 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY FIFTH 

Stephen Decatur born 1779. 
Robert Morrison born 1782. 
Thomas Pringle born 1789. 

Let me go where'er I will, 
I hear a sky-born music still: 
It sounds from all things old, 

It sounds from all things young, 
From all that's fair, from all that's foul, 

Peals out a cheerful song. 

It is not only in the rose, 

It is not only in the bird, 
Not only where the rainbow glows, 

Nor in the song of woman heard, 
But in the darkest, meanest things 
There alway, alway something sings. 

'Tis not in the high stars alone, 
Nor in the cup of budding flowers, 
" Nor in the redbreast's mellow tone, 

Nor in the bow that smiles in showers, 
But in the mud and scum of things 
There alway, alway something sings. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; 
And the firmament showeth his handiwork. 

—Psalm 19. 1. 

Almighty God, grant that my life may no longer 
be a noise, but be kept in tune with the sublimest 
melodies, that wherever I am, there may be no 
discords in the songs of my soul. Through thy 
loving-kindness may my songs resound. Amen. 



» 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 13 



JANUARY SIXTH 

Epiphany, or Twelfth-Day. 
Joan d'Arc born 1412. 
David Dale born 1739. 



'Twas even so! and thou the shepherd's child, 
Joanne, the lowly dreamer of the wild! 

Never before and never since that hour 

Hath woman, mantled with victorious power, 

Stood forth as thou beside the shrine didst stand, 
Holy amidst the knighthood of the land. 

— Mrs. Felicia Hemans. 

Every one must recognize the splendid work 
which has been done by women in social and edu- 
cational fields. And it will, I believe, come more 
and more to be recognized that in some respects 
women are specially fitted for government and for 
official-municipal life. — Sir Oliver Lodge. 

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappi- 
doth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt 
under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah 
and Bethel in the hill-country of Ephraim: and the 
children of Israel came up to her for judgment. 

— Judges 4. 4, 5. 

My Father, help me to be thoughtful and just. 
May I consider the great truths and broader visions 
that may not be seen from where I stand. May I 
be willing to accept a better view. Grant that I 
may realize that the battle of life is not a sham 
battle, but a struggle for the advancement of life. 
Amen. 



14 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY SEVENTH 

General Putnam born 1718. 

Robert Nicholl born 1814. 

T. DeWitt Talmage born 1832. 



Opportunities fly in a straight line, touch us but 
once and never return, but the wrongs we do others 
fly in a circle; they come back from the place they 
started — T. DeWitt Talmage. 

Our share of night to bear, 

Our share of morning, 
Our blank is bliss to fill, 

Our blank is scorning. 



Here a star, and there a star, 

Some lose their way, 
Here a mist, and there a mist, 

Afterwards — day! 

— Emily Dickinson. 

Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting- 
place. 

— Micah 2. 10. 



Lord God, give me the desire to be persistent in 
service, while I have health and strength. May I 
experience the sweetness that comes in doing the 
thing that I ought to have done, as well as that 
in which I took the most pleasure. Help me to so 
live that my days may be useful, and be recalled 
with bright and happy recollections. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 15 



JANUARY EIGHTH 

John Earl of Stair died 1707. 
Sir William Draper died 1787. 
Alfred Russel Wallace born 1823. 
William Wilkie Collins born 1824. 
Sir Laurence Alma-Tadema born 1836. 

A blue bird built his nest 
Here in my breast. 
"O bird of Light! Whence comest thou?" 
Said he, "From God above: 
My name is Love." 

A mate he brought one day, 
Of plumage gray. 
"O bird of Night! Why comest thou?" 
Said she: "Seek no relief! 
My name is Grief." 

— Laurence Alma-Tadema. 

It is not so much resolution as renunciation, not 
so much courage as resignation, that we need. He 
that has once yielded thoroughly to God will yield 
to nothing but God. — John Ruskin. 

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, 
Neither will he uphold the evildoers. 
He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, 
And thy lips with shouting. 

—Job 8. 20, 21. 

Almighty God, help me to understand that peace 
does not come in rebellion or grieving, but is ob- 
tained through the calm of the soul. Grant that if 
I may be perplexed or worried to-day, I may 
have the power to control myself and wait in thy 
strength. Amen. 



16 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY NINTH 

Dr. Thomas Brown born 1778. 
Elizabeth O. Benger died 1822. 
Caroline Lucretia Herschel died 1848, aged ninety- 
seven. 



Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness alto- 
gether past calculation its powers of endurance. 
Efforts to be permanently useful must be uniformly 
joyous — a spirit of all sunshine. — Thomas Carlyle. 



Honest good humor is the oil and wine of a merry 
meeting. — Washington Irving. 



A laugh is worth a hundred groans in any market. 

— Charles Lamb. 



A glad heart maketh a cheerful countenance; 
But by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken. 



Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, 
Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. 

—Proverbs 15. 13, 17. 



Gracious Father, if I am sorrowing over dis- 
appointment and am forgetful, grant that I may 
see the things thou hast made, for which I should 
be thankful. Help me to so live that I may have a 
right to claim a cheerful heart. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 17 



JANUARY TENTH 

Dr. George Birkbeck born 1776. 
Michel or Marshal Ney born 1769. 
Karl von Linne, Linnaeus, died 1778. 
Ethan Allen born 1737. 



Shall I hold on with both hands to every paltry 
possession? All I have teaches me to trust the 
Creator for all I have not seen. 

■ — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



The practical weakness of the vast mass of mod- 
ern pity for the poor and the oppressed is precisely 
that it is merely pity; the pity is pitiful but not re- 
spectful. Men feel that the cruelty to the poor is a 
kind of cruelty to animals. They never feel that it 
is injustice to equals; nay, it is treachery to com- 
rades. — G. K. Chesterton. 



Be ye all like-minded, compassionate, loving as 
brethren, tender-hearted, humble-minded: not ren- 
dering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but 
contrariwise blessing. — 1 Peter 3. 8, 9. 



God of justice, may I pause to remember that 
while I may do a mean act and keep it hidden from 
others, J. cannot keep it hidden from myself, nor 
from thee. Help me to have a nobler sense of 
the quality of life, and less anxiety for the quantity, 
that I may avoid harshness and selfishness, and be 
given to tenderness and justice. Amen, 



18 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY ELEVENTH 

Alexander Hamilton born 1757. 
Bayard Taylor born 1825. 
William James born 1842. 
Alice Caldwell Regan Rice born 1870. 



The paternal relation to man was the basis of 
that religion which appealed directly to the heart; 
so the fraternity of each man with his fellow was its 
practical application. — Bayard Taylor. 



It is indeed a remarkable fact that sufferings and 
hardships do not, as a rule, abate the love of life; 
they seem on the contrary, usually to give it a 
keener zest; and the sovereign source of melancholy 
is repletion. Need and struggle are what excite and 
inspire. Our hour of triumph is what brings the 
void. — William James. 



Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for 
when he hath been approved, he shall receive the 
crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that 
love him. — James 1. 12. 



Lord God, I come to thee for help that the small 
things may not force themselves into my life, and 
keep me from pursuing the larger things which are 
continually open to me. May I not be blind to what 
I may have and be, through inspiration and work. 
Grant that I may not be satisfied to remain in that 
in which I have triumphed, but climb to greater 
endeavors. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 19 



JANUARY TWELFTH 

Edmund Burke born 1729. 

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi born 1746. 

Francois Coppee born 1842. 

John S. Sargent born 1856. 



Show the thing you contend for to be reason; 
show it to be common sense; show it to be the 
means of attaining some useful end. The question 
with me is not whether you have a right to render 
your people miserable, but whether it is your in- 
terest to make them happy. — Edmund Burke. 



Like the star 

That shines afar, 

Without haste 

And without rest, 
Let each man wheel with steady sway 
Round the task that rules the day, 

And do his best. 

— Goethe. 



Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth 
not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 

— 1 Corinthians 13. 4. 



Gracious Father, cause me to be critical of my 
life, that I may not be deceived in myself. Help me 
to look into my soul and see what thou dost find 
there; and with humility may I acknowledge what I 
am to thee, and seek thy wisdom and love. Amen. 



20 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY THIRTEENTH 

George Fox, founder Society of Friends, died 1691. 
Samuel Woodworth (Old Oaken Bucket) born 1785. 
Order of King's Daughters founded 1886. 

Have thy soul feel the universal breath 
With which all nature's quick, and learn to be 
Sharer in all that thou dost touch or see; 
Break from thy body's grasp thy spirit's trance; 
Give thy soul air, thy faculties expanse; 
Love, joy, even sorrow, — yield thyself to all! 
They make thy freedom, groveling, not thy thrall. 
Knock off the shackles which thy spirit bind 
To dust and sense, and set at large the mind! 
Then move in sympathy with God's great whole, 
And be like man at first, a Living Soul. 

— Richard Henry Dana. 

I was deeply impressed by what a gardener once 
said to me concerning his work. "I feel, sir," he 
said, "when I am growing the flowers or rearing the 
vegetables, that I am having a share in creation." 
I thought it a very noble way of regarding his work. 

— J. H. Jowett. 

For we are God's fellow workers: ye are God's 
husbandry, God's building. — 1 Corinthians 3. 9. 

Creator of all, help me to see what there is for 
me to do; and help me to know that I cannot be 
productive if I am hovering in the choice of my 
work. May I learn from thy great works of heaven 
and earth the ways of selection and steadfastness. 
Give me the desire to work and the confidence that 
is needed to carry on my work. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 21 



JANUARY FOURTEENTH 

Madame de Sevigne died 1696. 
Edmund Halley died 1742. 
Pierre Loti born 1850. 



Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute 
What you can do, or dream you can; begin it; 
Boldness has genius, power magic in it. 
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated; 
Begin and then the work will be completed. 

— Goethe. 



Were half the power that fills the world with terror, 
Were half the wealth bestowed on camps and 
courts, 

Given to redeem the human mind from error, 
There were no need of arsenals or forts. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . 
but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah. 

— Joshua 24. 15. 



Almighty God, help me to appreciate the sacred- 
ness of work while I have it to do. Grant that I 
may be spared the wretchedness that comes from 
working with fragments from idleness. May I do 
my part, even if it be in obscurity and the night 
overtakes me before it is done. Amen. 



22 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY FIFTEENTH 

Moliere born 1622. 

Dr. Samuel Parr born 1747. 

Edward Everett died 1865. 



The sun withholds his generous beam; 
Athwart my soul the shadows stream; 
The weird winds boisterously blow, 
And drift the melancholy snow. 

When I, in sorrow and despair, 
Expect the storm, with tender care 
He rends the clouds and through the blue 
The glorious sun breaks forth anew. 

— M. B. S. 



So with the wan waste grasses on my spear, 
I ride forever seeking after God. 
My hair grows whiter than my thistle plume 
And all my limbs are loose; but in my eyes 
The star of an unconquerable praise; 
For in my soul one hope forever sings, 
That at the next white corner of the road 
My eyes may look on Him. 

— G. K. Chesterton. 



He brought me forth also into a large place; 
He delivered me, because he delighted in me. 

—Psalm 18. 19. 



Loving Father, if I may be discouraged to-day, 
strengthen my faith. May I not weary of waiting 
for thee, but trust in thy promises. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 23 



JANUARY SIXTEENTH 

Edmund Spenser died 1599. 
Johann August Neander born 1789. 
Edward Gibbon died 1794. 
Sir John Moore died 1809. 



But lovely concord, and most sacred peace, 

Doth nourish vertue, and fast friendship breeds; 
Weake she makes strong, and strong thing does 
increase, 

Till it the pitch of highest praise exceeds. 

— Edmund Spenser. 



Perfect good-breeding is the result of nature and 
not of education; for it may be found in a cottage, 
and may be missed in a palace. 'Tis the genial 
regard for the feeling of others that springs from 
an absence of selfishness. — Disraeli. 



Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine 
figs? neither can salt water yield sweet. 

— James 3. 12. 



Heavenly Father, help me to value my thoughts, 
words, and deeds. If at the close of the day, there 
may be one who has been wounded by my injustice, 
may I be willing to make quick atonement. May I 
avoid the ways and words that hurt; and not only 
wish rightly and work rightly, but speak to enrich 
others with tenderness. Amen. 



24 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY SEVENTEENTH 

John Ray died 170o. 
Benjamin Franklin born 1706. 
George Bancroft died 1891. 



Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain 
leisure; and since thou art not sure of a minute, 
throw not away an hour! Leisure is time for doing 
something useful; this leisure the diligent man will 
obtain, but the lazy man never; a life of leisure and 
a life of laziness are two things. 

— Benjamin Franklin. 



There is nothing to gain and everything to lose 
by despising the example of nature, and making 
arbitrary rules for oneself. Our liberty wisely un- 
derstood is but a voluntary obedience to the uni- 
versal laws of life. — Amiel. 



I will meditate on thy precepts, 
And have respect unto thv wavs. 

—Psalm 119. 15. 



My Father, help me to understand the power of 
nature, that I may be willing to obey her laws. I 
pray that I may so live that my life will proclaim 
itself without need of boasting or deception. Forbid 
that I should spend my life in perfecting trifles, and 
have no leisure to enjoy thy great gifts. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 25 



JANUARY EIGHTEENTH 

Charles de Montesquieu born 1689. 
John Gillies born 1747. 
Daniel Webster born 1782. 



We would leave for the consideration of those 
who shall occupy our places some proof that we 
hold the blessings transmitted from our fathers in 
just estimation; some proof of our attachment to 
the cause of good government and of civil and reli- 
gious liberty; some proof of a sincere and ardent 
desire to promote every thing which may enlarge 
the understanding and improve the hearts of men. 

— Daniel Webster. 



Brother and friend, the world is wide, 

But I care not whether there be 
The soothing song of a summer tide 

Or the thrash of a wintry sea, 
If but through shimmer and storm you bide, 

Brother and friend, with me. 

— Percy C. Ainsworth. 



Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear 
God. Honor the King— 1 Peter 2. 17. 



Almighty God, I thank thee for all the tender 
influences of life; for all the gentleness and strength 
that may be given and received through friendship. 
Help me to be careful of what I do, for my sake, 
and for the sake of those who may follow me. Amen. 



26 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY NINETEENTH 

Hans Sachs died 1576. 
William Congreve died 1729. 
James Watt born 1736. 
Robert E. Lee born 1807. 
Edgar Allan Poe born 1809. 

I stand amid the roar 
Of a surf-tormented shore, 
And I hold within my hand 
Grains of the golden sand — 
How few! Yet how they creep 
Through my fingers to the deep, 
While I weep — while I weep! 
O God, can I not save 
One from the pitiless wave? 
Is all that we see or seem 
But a dream within a dream? 

— Edgar Allan Poe. 

Do not train up your children in hostility to the 
government of the United States. Remember that 
we are one country now. Dismiss from your mind 
all sectional feeling, and bring them up to be 
Americans. — Robert E. Lee. 

Wait for Jehovah : 

Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; 
Yea, wait thou for Jehovah. 

—Psalm 27. 14. 

Lord God, I pray that if I have struggled for the 
wrong, and have worked with weak hands, thou 
wilt forgive me for my lost strength. Give me 
more light to shine upon my work, upon thy prom- 
ises, and upon my duties; and with thy wisdom 
may I search for the truth that is behind every 
wrong, and for the purpose that is beyond all 
journeyings. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 27 



JANUARY TWENTIETH 

Eve of Saint Agnes. 
David Garrick died 1779. 
John Howard died 1790. 
John Ruskin died 1900. 
Nathaniel P. Willis born 1806. 



How like a mounting devil in the heart 
Rules the unreigned ambition! Let it once 
But play the monarch, and its haughty brow 
Glows with a beauty that bewilders thought 
And unthrones peace forever. Putting on 
The very pomp of Lucifer, it turns 
The heart to ashes. 

—Nathaniel P. Willis. 

Temperance, in the nobler sense, does not mean a 
subdued and imperfect energy; it does not mean 
a stopping short in any good thing, as love or in 
faith; but it means the power which governs the 
most intense energy, and prevents its acting in any 
way but as it ought. — John Ruskin. 



And thy gentleness hath made me great. 

—Psalm 18. 35. 



Gracious Father, I pray that I may be willing to 
profit by the experience of great teachers, and ap- 
preciate the value of strong principles. May I too 
live for the higher ideals of life, and through a 
sympathetic response add power and virtue to 
other lives, while gaining strength for my own. 
Amen. 



28 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY TWENTY-FIRST 

Miles Coverdale died 1568. 
John Fitch born 1743. 
John C. Fremont born 1813. 
Thomas Erskine born 1750. 

Thomas Jonathan (Stonewall) Jackson born 1824. 



So long as we love we serve; so long as we are 
loved by others I would almost say that we are 
indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a 
friend. — Robert L. Stevenson. 



So to the calmly gathered thought 
The innermost of life is taught, 
The mystery dimly understood, 
That love of God is love of good: 
That to be saved is only this — 
Salvation from our selfishness. 

— John Greenleaf Whittier. 



Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love there- 
fore is the fulfillment of the law. And this, knowing 
the season, that already it is time for you to awake 
out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than 
when we first believed. — Romans 13. 10, 11. 



Tender Father, may I not attempt to serve life 
for my own gratification. May I not interpret love 
through vanity, but from reality. Make me worth 
while, that I may be relied upon for my pledges, 
and needed for my services. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 29 



JANUARY TWENTY-SECOND 

Andrea del Sarto died 1531. 
Francis Bacon born 1561. 
Lord George Byron born 1788. 
Queen Victoria died 1901. 



Father of light! to thee I call, 

My soul is dark within: 
Thou who canst mark the sparrow's fall, 

Avert the death of sin, 
Thou who canst guide the wandering star, 
Who calm'st the elemental war, 
Whose mantle is yon boundless sky, 

My thoughts, my words, my crimes forgive; 

And since I soon must cease to live, 
Instruct me how to die. 

— Lord Byron. 

Knowledge, whether it descend from divine in- 
spiration or spring from human sense, would soon 
perish and vanish to oblivion if it were not pre- 
served in books, traditions, conferences, and places 
appointed. — Francis Bacon. 

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear 
the words of the prophecy, and keep the things 
that are written therein. — Revelation 1. 3. 



Almighty God, I would have thy counsel as I 
read the words and follow the deeds of helpful lives, 
that I may be inspired to nobler activities. Give 
me the desire to know more of thy holy word, that 
I may have a better knowledge of life. Amen, 



30 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY TWENTY-THIRD 

John Hancock born 1737. 
William Pitt died 1806. 
Charles Kingsley died 1875. 
Paul Gustave Dore died 1883. 



Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything 
beautiful. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair 
sky, every fair flower, and thank Him for it, who is 
the fountain of all loveliness. — Charles Kingsley. 

Nature never did betray 
The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege 
Through all the years of this life, to lead, 
From joy to joy; for she can so impress 
With quietness and beauty, and so feed 
With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues, 



Nor all the dreary intercourse of daily life, 
Shall e'er prevail against us or disturb 
Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold 
Is full of blessings. 

— William Wordsworth. 

Is not God in the height of heaven? 
And behold the height of the stars, how high they 
are! 

And thou sayest, What doth God know? 
Can he judge through the thick darkness? 

—Job 22. 12, 13. 

Lord God, I pray that I may not overlook thy 
blessings of beauty while endeavoring to perform 
my duties. Guide me that I may not struggle to be • 
where thou wouldst not have me go. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 31 



JANUARY TWENTY-FOURTH 

Charles Earl of Dorset born 1637. 
Frederick the Great born 1712. 
Charles James Fox born 1749. 



The great Gods pass through the great Time-hall, 

Stately and high; 
The little men climb the low clay wall 

To gape and spy; 
"We wait for the Gods," the little men cry, 

"But these are our brothers passing by." 

The great Gods pass through the great Time-hall; 

Who can see? 
The little men nod by the low clay wall, 

So tired they be; 
"'Tis weary waiting for Gods," they yawn, 

"There's a world o' men, but the Gods are gone." 

— A. H. Begbie. 



But their eyes were holden that they should not 
know him. — Luke 24. 16. 



My Father, may I be careful of getting weary 
and missing the best through the need of rest. In- 
tensify my desire for the songs and glorious ways, 
that I may not settle into dullness and slumber, 
while others pass on in the light. I pray for a 
keener sense of the possessions made possible by 
the deeds and cares of noble men and women. 
Amen. 



32 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY TWENTY-FIFTH 

Robert Burns born 1759. 

Lord Frederick Leighton died 1896. 

Daniel Maclise born 1811. 



When ranting round in pleasure's ring 

Religion may be blinded: 
Or if she gie a random sting, 

It may be little minded: 
But when on life we're Tenipest-driv'n — 

A conscience but a canker, 
A correspondence fixed wi' Heav'n, 

Is sure a noble anchor. 

— Robert Burns. 



Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; 

Do noble things, not dream them, all day long: 
And so make life, death, and that vast forever 

One grand sweet song. 

— Charles Kingsley. 



0 Lord, by these things men live; 

And wholly therein is the life of my spirit : 

Wherefore recover thou me, and make me to live. 

—Isaiah 38. 16. 



Gracious Father, grant that I may not be willing 
to spend my life for trivial needs, for thou dost 
measure me for what I am, and holdest me for what 
I lose in waste. Be with me in my judgment of 
what is best, that I may make the most of my life. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 33 



JANUARY TWENTY-SIXTH 

Lord George Sackville born 1716. 
Benjamin Robert Hay don born 1786. 
Mary Mapes Dodge born 1838. 
General Gordon (Chinese Gordon) killed 1885. 



Ave Maria! blessed be the hour, 

That time, the clime, the spot, where I so oft 
Have felt that moment in its fullest power 

Sink o'er the earth so beautiful and soft, 
While swung the deep bell in the distant tower 

Or the faint dying day-hymn stole aloft, 
And not a breath crept through the rosy air, 
And yet the forest leaves seemed stirred with 
prayer. 

— Lord Byron. 



I am quite happy, thank God, and like Lawrence, 
I have tried to do my duty. 

— General Gordon (just before death). 



For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly 

in his pavilion: 
In the covert of his tabernacle will he hide me; 
He will lift me up upon a rock. 

—Psalm 27. 5. 

Heavenly Father, teach me how to breathe in the 
sweetness of life. Reveal to me the life that will 
bring peace to the soul. May I not be dismayed, 
but find the "Peace that passeth all understanding," 
the perfect peace that comes from thee. Amen. 



34 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Johannes Wolfgang Mozart born 1756. 
A. W. von Schlegel born 1767. 
David Friedrich Strauss born 1808. 



To keep young, every day read a poem, hear a 
choice piece of music, view a fine painting, and, if 
possible, do a good action. Man's highest merit 
always is, as much as possible, to rule external cir- 
cumstances, and as little as possible to let himself 
be ruled by them. — Goethe. 



Let us not always say, 
"Spite of this flesh to-day 
I strove, made head, gained ground upon the 
whole!'' 

As the bird wings and sings, 
Let us cry, "All good things 
Are ours, nor soul helps flesh more now than flesh 
helps soul!" 

— Robert Browning. 



Surely goodness and loving-kindness shall follow 
me all the days of my life. — Psalm 23. 6. 



Loving Father, help me to foresee that it is what 
I care for to-day that determines how I will find 
old age. May I not bring my closing years to weari- 
ness and lonesomeness, but may I have the restful- 
ness that comes with communing with thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 35 



JANUARY TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Charlemagne died 814. 

Sir Francis Drake died 1596. 

Peter the Great died 1725. 

Charles George Gordon (Chinese Gordon) born 1833. 



He only is advancing in life whose heart is getting 
softer, whose blood warmer, whose brain quicker, 
and whose spirit is entering into living peace. And 
the men who have this life in them are the true 
lords and kings of the earth — they, and they only. 

— John Ruskin. 

Just where you stand in the conflict, 

There is your place! 
Just where you think you are useless, 

Hide not your face! 
God placed you there for a purpose, 

What e'er it be; 
Think you he has chosen you for it : 

Work loyally. 

— Anonymous. 

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and 
the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his 
judgments, and his ways past tracing out! 

— Romans 11. 33. 

My Father, I thank thee that thou hast endowed 
me with a will; help me to use it aright. May I 
have the knowledge of what thou dost demand of 
my soul, that I may do my best with what thou hast 
given me. Help me that I may reach out for the 
highest ideals of life. Amen. 



36 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY TWENTY-NINTH 

Emanuel Swedenborg born 1688. 
Thomas Paine born 1737. 
Adelaide Ristori born 1822. 

William McKinley, Ohio, twenty-fourth President 
United States, born 1843. 



God will keep no nation in supreme place that 
will not do supreme duty. — William McKinley. 



Reputation is what men and women think of us; 
character is what God and the angels know of us. 

— Thomas Paine. 

The reward of one duty is the power to fulfill 
another. — George Eliot. 



Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, 
Upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for 
thyself. 

So shall we not go back from thee: 

Quicken thou us, and we will call upon thy name. 

—Psalm 80. 17, 18. 

My Father, I pray that I may be just and be 
given to kindness. May I be conscious of my vir- 
tues, and use them to overcome my faults. May I 
hear clearly thy call that I may be sure of the way 
as I lead others to duty and happiness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 37 



JANUARY THIRTIETH 

Archbishop Butler born 1774. 
Walter Savage Landor born 1775. 
Henri Rochefort born 1830. 



Why, why repine, my pensive friend, 

At pleasures slipped away? 
Some the stern fates will never lend, 

And all refuse to stay. 
I see the rainbow in the sky, 

The dew upon the grass; 
I see them and I ask not why 

They glimmer or they pass. 
With folded arms I linger not 

To call them back; 'twere vain; 
In this, or in some other spot, 

I know they'll shine again. 

— Walter Savage Landor. 

When disappointment comes meet it, but do not 
carry it along with you; nor fetter your spirit by 
changeless haste. "Memory will always pursue 
some precious instance of itself," which will bring 
either renewed confidence or resignation. — M. B. S. 

For thou shalt forget thy misery; 
Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed 
away. 

—Job 11. 16. 

Gracious Father, help me to "Lift mine eyes unto 
the hills" that glorify the discouraging ways. May 
I appreciate thy great love, and from my limitations 
find the possibilities that are limitless. Amen. 



38 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JANUARY THIRTY-FIRST 

Cromwell dissolved Parliament 1655. 
Charles Edward (Young Pretender) died 1788. 
Franz Schubert born 1797. 
James G. Blaine born 1830. 



Nature demands that man be ever at the top of 
his condition. He who violates her laws must pay 
the penalty, though he sit on a throne. 

— James G. Blaine. 



Dig channels for the streams of love, 
Where they may broadly run; 

And love has overflowing streams 
To fill them every one. 



For we must share if we must keep 

The good things from above; 
Ceasing to give, we cease to have — 

Such is the law of love. 

— R. C. Trench. 



And thy life shall be clearer than the noonday; 
Though there be darkness, it shall be as the morning. 

—Job 11. 17. 



My Father, I would remember that it is mostly 
from my inspirations that I conceive life. Take 
away hatred and vanity that keep me in faults, 
and awake in me the thoughts that are responsible 
for visions that lead to high ideals. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 39 



FEBRUARY 

Then came old February, sitting 
In an old wagon, for he could not ride, 

Drawn of two fishes for the season fitting, 
Which through the flood before did softly slide 
And swim away; yet he had by his side 
His plow and harness fit to till the ground, 
And tools to prune the trees, before the pride 
Of hasting prime did make them bourgeon wide. 

— Edmund Spenser. 



40 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY FIRST 

Ben Jonson born 1574. 
John Philip Kemble born 1757. 
Arthur Henry Hallam born 1811. 
George Cruikshank died 1878. 



It is not growing like a tree 

In bulk, doth make man better be; 

Or standing long an oak, three hundred year, 

To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere: 

A lily of a day 

Is fairer far in May, 
Although it fall and die that night — 
It was the plant and flower of Light. 
In small proportions we just beauties see; 
And in short measure life may perfect be. 

— Ben Jonson. 

There are four things which are little upon the 
earth, 

But they are exceeding wise: 

The ants are a people not strong, 

Yet they provide their food in the summer; 

The conies are but a feeble folk, 

Yet make they their houses in the rocks; 

The locusts have no king, 

Yet go they forth all of them by bands; 

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, 

Yet is she in king's palaces. 

—Proverbs 30. 24-28. 

Creator of all, lead me to see the light, and in- 
struct me that I may be able to reason. Guard me 
against spectacular endeavors, that I may be 
genuine. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 41 



FEBRUARY SECOND 

Candlemas Day. 

Nell Gwynn born 1650. 

Hannah More born 1745. 

William Henry Burleigh born 1812. 

'Twas doing nothing was his curse — 
Is there a vice can plague us worse? 
The wretch who digs the mine for bread, 
Or plows, that others may be fed, 
Feels less fatigue than that decreed 
To him who cannot think, or read. 
Not all the peril of temptations, 
Not all the conflict of the passions, 
Can quench the spark of Glory's flame, 
Or quite extinguish Virtue's name. 

— Hannah More. 

Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife! 

To all the sensual world proclaim, 
One crowded hour of glorious life 

Is worth an age without a name. 

—Sir Walter Scott. 

He went out, and found others standing; and he 
saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day 
idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath 
hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the 
vineyard —Matthew 20. 6, 7. 

Eternal God, who hath weighed the mountains 
and measured the seas, I pray that I may not be 
satisfied to wait in idleness, and let thy wisdom 
pass away from me as the days. Steady me in my 
weakness, and reveal to me my strength as I draw 
near and ask of thee. Amen. 



42 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY THIRD 

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy born 1809. 
Horace Greeley born 1811. 
Frederick William Robertson born 1816. 
Sidney Lanier born 1842. 

My soul is sailing through the sea, 
But the past is heavy and hindereth me. 
The past hath crusted cumbrous shells 
That hold the flesh of cold sea-mells 

About my soul. 
The huge waves wash, the high waves roll, 
Each barnacle clingeth and worketh dole 
And hindereth me from sailing. 

—Sidney Lanier. 

To stand with a smile upon your face, against a 
stake from which you cannot get away — that no 
doubt is heroic. True glory is resignation to the 
inevitable. But to stand unchained, with perfect 
liberty to go away held only by the higher chains 
of duty, and let the fire creep up to the heart — 
that is heroism. — F. W. Robertson. 



We are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; 
perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not 
forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed. 

—2 Corinthians 4. 8, 9. 

Gracious Father, thou knowest what I am and 
the condition of my life. May I seek thy will for 
me. Grant that I may never struggle for consola- 
tion through indulgence and indolence, but in my 
sorrow and failure may I reach out for thy enduring 
comfort. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 43 



FEBRUARY FOURTH 

Mark Hopkins born 1802. 
W. Harrison Ainsworth born 1805. 
Jean Richepin born 1849. 
Thomas Carlyle died 1881. 



Life is not a May-game, but a battle and a march, 
a warfare with principalities and powers. No idle 
promenade through fragrant orange groves and 
green flowery spaces, waited on by coral muses, 
and the rosy hours; it is a stern pilgrimage through 
the rough, burning, sandy solitudes, through re- 
gions of thick-ribbed ice. — Thomas Carlyle. 



For all sweet and pleasant passages in the great 
story of life men may well thank God; for leisure 
and ease and health and friendship may God make 
us truly and humbly grateful; but our chief song of 
thanksgiving must be always for our kinship with 
him, with all that such divinity of greatness brings 
of peril, hardship, toil, and sacrifice. — Hamilton 
Mabie. 



Thy bars shall be iron and brass; 

And as thy days, so shall thy strength be. 

— Deuteronomy 33. 25. 

My Father, help me to choose the road that leads 
to my work, and may I not fail to reach it, by wan- 
dering away from it. Keep me in touch with the 
human side of life, holding in mind that "Truth 
and honesty are the noblest works of God." Amen. 



44 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY FIFTH 

Sir Robert Peel born 1788. 
Ole Boreman Bull born 1810. 
John Muir born 1810. 
Dwight L. Moody born 1837. 



When a great man dies, then has the time come j 
for putting us in mind that he was alive ! 

— Thomas Carlyle. 



If I practice one day, I can see the result. If I 
practice two days, my friends can see it. If I 
practice three days, the great public can see it. 

—Ole Bull. 



Those who say they will forgive but can't forget i 
an injury simply bury the hatchet while they leave 
the handle out, ready for immediate use. 

—Dwight L. Moody. 

But I hold not my life of any account as dear 
unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course. 

—Acts 20. 24. 



Almighty God, if I am uncertain, and tremble at 
the crossroads in doubt of the right way, may I 
wait and be led by thee, and follow on, even if the 
way be dark and rough. May I be faithful and have 
thy presence as thou promised at the end. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 45 



FEBRUARY SIXTH 

Queen Anne of England born 1665. 

Aaron Burr born 1756. 

Sir Henry Irving born 1838. 



Nothing earthly will make me give up my work 
in despair. I encourage myself in the Lord my 
God and go forward. — David Livingstone. 

To expect defeat is nine tenths of defeat itself. 

— Marion Crawford. 



I do not see how any man can afford, for the sake 
of his nerves and his nap, to spare any action in 
which he can partake. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Art is a jealous mistress, she requires the whole 
man. — Michael Angelo. 



Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like 
men, be strong. — 1 Corinthians 16. 13. 



Almighty God, help me to have true conceptions, 
that my life may not be secured to needless pur- 
poses. May my soul be influenced by high ideals, 
and my work be the production of truth and not of 
selfishness. Protect me from evil that I may be 
kept pure and strong for my work. Amen. 



46 



LEAVES OP LIFE 



FEBRUARY SEVENTH 

Millard Fillmore, New York, thirteenth President 

United States born 1800. 
Sir Thomas More born 1478. 
Charles Dickens born 1812. 
Anne Radcliffe died 1823. 
Sidney Cooper died 1902. 

Let no man turn aside ever so slightly, from the 
broad path of honor, on the plausible pretense that 
he is justified by the goodness of his end. All good 
ends can be worked out by good means. 

— Charles Dickens. 

If evils come not, then our fears are vain; 
And if they do, fear but augments the pain. 

— Sir Thomas More. 

A human heart knows aught of littleness, 

Suspects no man, compares with no one's ways, 
Hath in one hour most glorious length of days, 

A recompense, a joy, a loveliness; 

Like eaglet keen, shoots into azure far, 

And always dwelling nigh is the remotest star. 

— William Ellery Channing. 

Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; 

I will walk in thy truth: 

Unite my heart to fear thy name. 

—Psalm 86. 11. 

Gracious Father, I pray that thou wilt control 
my impulses, and protect me from false interpreta- 
tions. May I have wisdom, and search for the 
high and holy ways. Help me to be patient for 
thy purposes, and may my relations to life be 
triumphant in thy standards. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 47 



FEBRUARY EIGHTH 

Samuel Butler born 1612. 
John Ruskin born 1819. 
General Sherman born 1820. 
Jules Verne born 1828. 
Richard Watson Gilder born 1844. 



If you want knowledge, you must toil for it; and if 
pleasure, you must toil for it. Toil is the law. 
Pleasure comes through toil, and not by self- 
indulgence and indolence. When one gets to love 
work his life is a happy one. — John Ruskin. 

Whatever sceptic could inquire for, 
For every why he had a wherefore. 

— Samuel Butler. 

Through love to light! O wonderful the way, 
That leads from darkness to the perfect day! 
From darkness and from sorrow of the night 

To morning that comes singing o'er the sea. 

Through love to light! through light O God to 
Thee! 

Who art the love, the eternal light of light ! 

— Richard Watson Gilder. 

We must work the works of him that sent me, 
while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can 
work. — John 9. 4. 



My Father, I pray that I may not weight my life 
with worthless efforts. May I be guided to the 
right work, and through the love of it find strength 
for my soul. Amen. 



48 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY NINTH 
C P. Volney born 1757. 

William Henry Harrison, Virginia, ninth President 

United States, born 1773. 
Anthony Hope (Hawkins) born 1863. 
George Ade born 1866. 

A man's own observation, what he finds good of, 
and what he finds hurt of, is the best physic to 
preserve health. But it is a safer conclusion to say, 
"This agreeth not well with me, therefore I will not 
continue it"; than to say, "I find no offense of this, 
therefore I may use it." For strength of nature in 
youth passeth over many excesses, which are owing 
a man till his age. — Francis Bacon. 

Though man a thinking being is defined, 
Few use the grand prerogative of mind. 
How few think justly of the thinking few! 
How many never think, who think they do! 

— Jane Taylor. 

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for 
when he hath been approved, he shall receive the 
crown of life. — James 1. 12. 

Almighty God, I would learn that while thou art a 
forgiving Lord, nature has no mercy on them that 
break her laws. Forgive me for all my neglect, and 
help me to see the way in which thou hast through 
mercy led me. Give me the power to endure and 
the strength to resist temptation. May I seek to 
understand thy laws, that I may not fail through 
ignorance. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 49 



FEBRUARY TENTH 

Rev. Henry Hart Milman born 1791. 
Charles Lamb born 1775. 
Sir William Napier died 1860. 



Never let the most well-intended falsehood escape 
your lips; for Heaven, which is entirely Truth, will 
make the seed which you have sown of untruth to 
yield miseries a thousandfold. — Charles Lamb. 



We cannot command veracity at will; the power 
of seeing and reporting truly is a form of health 
that has to be distinctly guarded, and as an ancient 
rabbi has solemnly said, "The penalty of untruth is 
untruth." — George Eliot. 



The bat hangs upside down and laughs at a topsy- 
turvy world. — Unknown. 



The lip of truth shall be established for ever; 
But a lying tongue is but for a moment. 

—Proverbs 12. 19. 



Lord God, give me the will to hold to the truth 
and the strength to help keep the world true; and 
may I help others to look up and catch the truth 
from the purest light. Amen. 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY ELEVENTH 

Mary, Queen of England, born 1516 
Daniel Boone born 1735. 
Lydia M. Child born 1802. 
Washington Gladden born 1836. 
Thomas A. Edison born 1847. 



Few, in the days of early youth, 
Trusted like me in love and truth. 
I've learned sad lessons from the years; 
But slowly and with many tears; 
For God made me to kindly view 
The world that I was passing through. 

And all who tempt a trusting heart 

From faith and hope to drift apart, 

May they themselves be spared the pain 

Of losing power to trust again! 

God help us all to kindly view 

The world that we are passing through ! 

—Lydia M. Child. 



For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with 
peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth 
before you into singing; and all the trees of the field 
shall clap their hands. — Isaiah 55. 12. 



Lord God, I pray that I may not rest my hope 
in self alone, but know that the greatest joy is in 
the hope of the world. Help me to have faith in 
mankind; and with a loyal heart and a brave spirit 
be as kind to the world as I can. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 51 



FEBRUARY TWELFTH 

Dr. Cotton Mather born 1663. 
Peter Cooper born 1791. 

Abraham Lincoln, Kentucky, sixteenth President 

United States, born 1809. 
Robert Charles Darwin born 1809. 
George Meredith born 1828. 



With malice towards none, with charity for all, 
with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the 
right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; 
to bind up the nation's wounds, ... to do all 
which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting 
peace among ourselves and with all nations. 

— Abraham Lincoln. 



The great moral combat between human life and 
each human soul must be single. . . . When a soul 
arms for battle she goes forth alone. 

— Owen Meredith. 



According to the grace of God which was given 
unto me, as a wise master builder I laid a founda- 
tion; and another buildeth thereon. 

— 1 Corinthians 3. 10. 



Almighty God, I thank thee for the courage that 
conies with a great life. Help me to be brave, even 
if it is only that others may be blest. May I lay a 
careful foundation and plan to build the best that 
I can afford. Amen. 



52 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY THIRTEENTH 

David Allan born 1744. 

Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord born 1754. 

Richard Wagner died 1883. 



A man is not his hope, nor yet his despair, nor 
yet his past deed. We know not yet what we have 
done; still less what we are doing. Wait till eve- 
ning, and other parts of our work will shine than 
we had thought at noon, and we shall discover the 
real purport of our toil. — Henry D. Thoreau. 



When you make a mistake don't look back at it 
long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, 
and look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. 
. . . The past cannot be changed. The future is 
yet in your power. — Hugh White. 



He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for 
sowing, 

Shall doubtless come again with joy, bringing his 
sheaves with him. 

—Psalm 126. 6. 



My Father, help me to survey my life. Make me 
compassionate and considerate, that I may be 
qualified to promote that which is helpful. May I 
appreciate that what is worth keeping I can obtain 
from thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 53 



FEBRUARY FOURTEENTH 

Saint Valentine's Day. 

Captain James Cook killed 1779. 

Jean Ernest Reynaud born 1808. 



Oh! little loveliest lady mine, 

What shall I send for your valentine? 

Summer and flowers are far away; 

Gloomy old Winter is king to-day; 

Buds will not blow, and sun will not shine: 

What shall I do for a valentine? 

I've searched the gardens all through and through 

For a bud to tell of my love so true; 

But buds are asleep and blossoms are dead, 

And the snow beats down on my poor little head: 

So, little loveliest lady mine, 

Here is my heart for your valentine. 

— Laura E. Richards. 

Oh rank is gold, and gold is fair, 

And high and low mate ill; 
But love has never known a law 

Beyond its own sweet will! 

—John G. Whittier. 

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of 
God.— 1 John 4. 7. 



Loving Father, may I not fall to nodding in the 
balmy air of luxury and miss the messages of love. 
Arouse me, that I may give and take in the treasures 
of love as they come my way, and that they may 
not pass unnoticed. Amen. 



54 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY FIFTEENTH 

Galileo Galilei born 1564. 
Louis XV born 1710. 
S. Weir Mitchell born 1829. 
Sir Frederick Treves born 1853. 



The night I know is nigh at hand, 
The mists lie low on hill and bay, 

The autumn sheaves are brown and dry, 
But I have had the day. 

Yes, I have had, dear Lord, the day. 

When at thy call I have the night 
Brief be the twilight as I pass 

From light to dark, from dark to light. 

— S. Weir Mitchell. 



If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength 
is small — too small to be worth talking about, for 
the day of adversity is its first real opportunity. 

— Maltbie Babcock, 



Nay, in all these things we are more than con- 
querors through him that loved us. — Romans 8. 37. 



My Father, may my daily work not be the means 
of separating me from thee, but may I have thee for 
my companion through my work. Forbid that I 
should ever submit to despair from weakness of 
body, but that I may be blest and grow strong as 
my spirit lives in thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 55 



FEBRUARY SIXTEENTH 

Philip Melanchthon born 1497. 
Gasper de Coligny born 1517. 
Thomas Robert Malthus born 1766. 
Ernst Heinrich Haeckel born 1834. 



Thy love shall chant its own beatitudes 

After its own life working. A child's kiss 

Set on thy sighing lips shall make thee glad. 

A poor man served by thee shall make thee rich; 

A sick man helped by thee shall make thee strong; 

Thou shalt be served thyself by every sense 

Of service which thou renderest. 

— Elizabeth B. Browning. 

Ask nothing more of me, sweet; 

All I can give you I give. 
Heart of my heart, were it more, 

More would be laid at your feet: 
Love that should help you to live, 

Song that should help you to soar. 

— Algernon Charles Swinburne. 

All things therefore whatsoever ye would that 
men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto 
them— Matthew 7. 12. 



Lord God, I pray that I may not neglect the help 
and happiness that I may give with compassion 
and love. Make me strong in all the senses that 
answer to the call of humanity. Help me to guide 
and protect little children, and to care for the com- 
forts of the old. Amen. 



56 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY SEVENTEENTH 

Kate Greenaway born 1846. 
Michael Angelo Buonarroti died 1563. 
Giordano Bruno burned at Rome 1600. 
Moliere died 1673. 
Rose Terry Cooke born 1827. 
Frances E. Willard died 1898. 



It is not much 

To give a gentle word or kindly touch 

To one gone down 

Beneath the world's cold frown, 

And yet who knows 

How great a thing from such a little grows? 
O, oftentimes, 

Some brother upward climbs 
And hope again 

Uplifts its head, that in the dust had lain, 
Gives place to morning's light. 

— E. H. Divall. 



I will seek that which was lost, and will bring 
back that which was driven away, and will bind up 
that which was broken, and will strengthen that 
which was sick. — Ezekiel 34. 16. 



My Father, may I not sorrow so that I fail to 
comfort the sorrowing, and may I not be so happy 
that I fail to see that others need to be glad. I 
thank thee for thy providences. May I serve thee 
in helping others to brighter lives. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 57 



FEBRUARY EIGHTEENTH 

Martin Luther died 1546. 
George Peabody born 1795. 
Wilson Barrett born 1846. 



A mighty fortress is our God, 

A bulwark never failing: 
Our helper he amid the flood 

Of mortal ills prevailing. 
For still our ancient foe 
Doth seek to work us woe; 
His craft and power are great: 
And, armed with cruel hate, 
On earth is not his equal. 

— Martin Luther. 



Let us stand by our duty fearlessly and effec- 
tively. I am not bound to win, but I am bound to 
be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound 
to live up to the light that I have. 

— Abraham Lincoln. 



Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my de- 
liverer; 

My God, my rock, in whom I will take refuge. 

—Psalm 18. 2. 



Lord God, help me to lay my life in the rocks of 
thy foundation, and not in moving sands which are 
tossed from shore to shore. May I cling to the rock 
that was cleft for me and trust for thy care. Amen. 



58 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY NINETEENTH 

Copernicus born 1473. 
Leonard Bacon born 1802. 
W. W. Story born 1819. 
Adelina Patti born 1843. 



So mine are these new fruitings rich, 
The simple to the common brings; 

I keep the youth of souls who pitch 
Their joy in this old heart of things; 

Full lasting is the song, though he 
The singer passes; lasting too, 

For souls not lent in usury, 

The rapture of the forward view. 

— George Meredith. 

All deep things are Song. It seems, somehow, the 
very central essence of us, Song; as if all the rest 
were wrappages and hulls! the primal element of 
us; of us, and all things. — Thomas Carlyle. 



Ye shall have a song as in the night when a 
holy feast is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one 
goeth with a pipe to come unto the mountain of 
Jehovah. — Isaiah 30. 29. 



Lord God, help me to feel the power of praise. 
"As words without thoughts never to heaven go," 
so the highest praises are never sung alone, but ren- 
dered with service and love. May I have the heart 
to sing thy praises far and near, and rejoice in him 
from whom all blessings flow. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 59 



FEBRUARY TWENTIETH 

J. H. Voss born 1828. 

Joseph Jefferson born 1829. 

Mihaly Munkacsy (Michael Lieb) born 1844. 



Who serves his country well has no need of an- 
cestors. — Voltaire. 



Lo, Spring comes forth with all her warmth and 
love, 

She brings sweet justice from the realms above; 
She breaks the chrysalis, she resurrects the dead; 
Two butterflies ascend encircling her head. 
And so this emblem shall forever be 
A sign of immortality. 

— Joseph Jefferson. 



Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, 
And afterward receive me to glory. 

—Psalm 73. 24. 



Lord God, I pray that I may not neglect my soul 
in trying to fathom immortal life. If I may be hesi- 
tating between comfort and work, remind me of the 
greatness of the place which I started to reach. 
May I not grow weary of climbing and falter on 
the stair. Breathe upon me thy inspiration and 
love, that I may continue in faith all the way. 
Amen. 



60 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-FIRST 

Edmund William Gosse born 1849. 
Karl Czerny born 1791. 
Cardinal John H. Newman born 1801. 
Jean L. E. Meissonier born 1815. 
Alice Freeman Palmer born 1855. 

Prune thou thy words, the thoughts control 
That o'er thee swell and throng; 

They will condense within thy soul, 
And change to purpose strong. 

— John H. Newman. 

Think truly, and thy thoughts 

Shall the world's famine feed; 
Speak truly, and each word of thine 

Shall be a fruitful seed; 
Live truly, and thy life shall be 

A great and noble creed. 

— Horatio Bonar. 

We ought to love everybody and make every- 
body love us. Then everything else is easy. 

— Alice Freeman Palmer. 

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, 
and thy healing shall spring forth speedily; and thy 
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of 
Jehovah shall be thy rearward. — Isaiah 58. 8. 

Almighty God, look upon me with pity; so often 
I have obeyed the thoughts that have been mis- 
leading and profitless. Make me more careful of 
what I think and say, and may I learn from my 
mistakes the forbidden paths. Help me to keep 
my mind in unity with thy will. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 61 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-SECOND 

George Washington, Virginia, first President United 

States, born 1732. 
James Russell Lowell born 1819. 
Margaret E. Sangster born 1838. 



Labor to keep alive in your breast that little 
spark of celestial fire called conscience. 

— George Washington. 

Life is a sheet of paper white 
Whereon each one of us may write 
His word or two, and then comes night. 
Greatly begin! though thou hast time 
But for a line, be that sublime. 
Not failure, but low aim is crime. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

God keep us through the common days, 
The level stretches white with dust, 

When thought is tired, and hands upraise 
Their burdens feebly since they must; 

In days of slowly fretting care 

Then most we need the strength of prayer. 

— Margaret E. Sangster. 

Make level the path of thy feet, 
And let all thy ways be established. 

— Proverbs 4. 26. 

Lord God, help me to realize the influence of the 
individual life. And as I would care for my own, 
may I seek to do for others; and may I not criticize, 
but help all who are trying to make the world 
better. Amen. 



62 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-THIRD 

Samuel Pepys born 1633. 
George F. Handel born 1685. 
George Frederick Watts born 1817. 
John Keats died 1821. 
Margaret Deland born 1857. 



Labor is life! 'tis the still water faileth; 

Idleness ever despaireth, bewaileth: 

Keep the watch wound, or the dark rust assaileth; 

Flowers droop and die in the stillness of noon. 
Labor is glory! the flying cloud lightens; 
Only the waving wing changes and brightens, 
Idle hearts only the dark future frightens, 

Play the sweet keys, wouldst thou keep them in 
tune. 

— Frances S. Osgood. 

Keats 

Palled death, with kisses ghostly, 

Wooed and won him while too young, 

And the world reveres him mostly, 
For the songs he might have sung. 

— Samuel A. Wood. 

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them 
stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare 
not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. 

— Isaiah 54. 2. 

Almighty God, I pray for the will to do my finest 
work. Disclose to me if I am being detained by 
serving selfishness in myself or in others. Lead 
me to what is right for me to do; and may I dili- 
gently tarry in it. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 63 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-FOURTH 

Samuel Lover born 1797. 
Robert Fulton died 1815. 
George William Curtis born 1824. 



'Tis not to enjoy that we exist, 

For that end only; something must be done; 

I must not walk in unreproved delight 

These narrow bounds, and think of nothing more, 

No duty that looks further and no care. 

— William Wordsworth. 

We weave our thoughts into heart-spun plans, 
And weave secure for a fitful day, 

But lose in the web of earthly things 
The pattern of sublimity. 

Shall days spring up as wild vines grow, 
Unheeding where they climb or cling? 

Consider, child, before you sow, 
And wait not until harvesting. 

— M. B. S. 

Jehovah is my strength and my shield; 

My heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped: 

Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; 

And with my song will I praise him. 

—Psalm 28. 7. 

Loving Father, command my judgment for the 
influences which I permit to come into my life. 
Grant that I may not delay my purposes for the 
lack of comforts which are so often made more 
than life. With thy strength may I be steadfast in 
what I would achieve. Amen. 



64 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-FIFTH 

William Seely died 1521. 
Sir Christopher Wren died 1723. 
Jane Goodwin Austin born 1831. 
Camille Flammarion born 1842. 



In general, pride is at the bottom of all great 
mistakes. All other passions do occasionally good; 
but wherever pride puts in its word everything goes 
wrong. — John Ruskin. 



He that is proud eats up himself : pride is his own 
glass, his own trumpet, his own chronicle; and 
whatever praises itself but in the deed, devours the 
deed in the praise. — William Shakespeare. 



Save me alike from foolish pride 

Or impious discontent; 
At aught Thy wisdom hath denied, 

Or aught Thy wisdom lent. 

— Alexander Pope. 

A man's pride shall bring him low; 

But he that is of a lowly spirit shall obtain honor. 

—Proverbs 29. 23. 

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may not let pride 
keep me down when it may be mine to be carried to 
the heights. With tenderness take me out of my- 
self, that I may see how pride deceives, and de- 
stroys an humble spirit. Help me to master both 
stubbornness and pride. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 65 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-SIXTH 

Christopher Marlowe (baptized 1564). 
Victor Hugo born 1802. 
Lord Cromer born 1841. 
Thomas Moore died 1852. 



When I go down to the grave I can say, like so 
many others, I have finished my work; but I cannot 
say I have finished my life; my day's work will 
begin again the next morning. My tomb is not a 
blind alley; it is a thoroughfare. It closes in the 
twilight to open in the dawn. — Victor Hugo. 



There's nothing bright above, below, 
From flowers that bloom to stars that glow, 
But in the light my soul can see 
Some feature of the Deity. 

There's nothing dark below, above, 
But in its gloom I trace God's love, 
And meekly wait that moment when 
His truth shall turn all bright again. 

— Thomas Moore. 

Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; 
And none of them that take refuge in him shall be 
condemned. 

—Psalm 34. 22. 

Lord God, may I not only feel the need of thee 
when I am burdened with sorrow and care, but may 
I have need of thee in my pleasures and joys. I 
thank thee for thy gracious kindness, thy mercy 
and thy protection. Amen. 



66 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow born 1807. 
Ellen Terry born 1848. 
Mary F. Robinson born 1857. 

Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 

And, departing, leave behind us 
Footprints on the sands of time — 

Footprints that perhaps another, 
Sailing o'er life's wintry main, 

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 
Seeing, shall take heart again. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 

They are slaves who fear to speak 

For the fallen and the weak; 

They are slaves who will not choose 

Hatred, scoffing, and abuse, 

Rather than in silence shrink 

From the truth they needs must think; 

They are slaves who dare not be 

In the right with two or three. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

Even so let your light shine before men; that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your Father 
who is in heaven. — Matthew 5. 16. 

Merciful Father, help me to know that my shadow 
cannot fall without me, and that my footprints can- 
not be found where I have never trodden. I pray 
that thou wilt make me so familiar with the right 
path that it may be mine to have the privilege of 
leading others to the right places. Amen. 



I 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 67 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Montaigne born 1533. 

Mary Lyon born 1797. 

Sir John Tenniel born 1820. 



Soul, rule thyself; on passion, deed, desire, 
Lay thou the laws of thy deliberate will. 
Stand at thy chosen post, Faith's sentinel: 
Though Hell's lost legions ring thee round with fire, 
Learn to endure. 

— Arthur Symonds. 



The confidence in another man's virtue is no 
slight evidence of a man's own, and God willingly 
favors such a confidence. — Montaigne. 



Though a host should encamp against me, 
My heart shall not fear: 
Though war should rise against me, 
Even then will I be confident. 

-Psalm 27. 3. 



My Father, may I ever be kept in remembrance 
of my virtue, and may I be sensitive to its strength. 
As I go on my way, keep me within control of the 
impetuous desires of my nature, and in call of the 
duties and obligations of my daily life. Amen. 



68 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



FEBRUARY TWENTY-NINTH 

Anne Lee born 1736. 
G. A. Rossini born 1792. 
John Landseer died 1852. 



Happy is he and more than wise 

Who sees with wondrous eyes and clean 

This world through all the gray disguise 
Of sleep and custom in between. 

— G. K. Chesterton. 



In the morning, when thou findest thyself un- 
willing to rise, consider with thyself presently, if it 
is to go about a man's work that I am stirred up. 
Or was I made for this, to lay me down, and make 
much of myself in a warm bed. — Marcus Aurelius. 



Arise and be doing, and Jehovah be with thee. 

—1 Chronicles 22. 16. 



Gracious Father, help me to take of the wealth of 
my day, while it is in season, and accessible. May 
I not be ignorant of the abundance in which I live, 
and be found in overwhelming regret. Forgive me 
for all that I have missed in life, and make me more 
watchful of that which is to come. Amen. 



I 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 69 



MARCH 

Spring still makes spring in the mind, 

When sixty years are told; 
Love makes anew this throbbing heart, 

And we are never old. 
Over the winter glaciers, 

I see the summer glow, 
And through the wild-piled snowdrift 

The warm rosebuds below. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



70 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH FIRST 

Alexander Balfour born 1767. 
Frederick Francois Chopin born 1809. 
Augustus Saint-Gaudens born 1848. 
William Dean Howells born 1837. 



Thy soul shall enter on its heritage 
Of God's unuttered wisdom. Thou shalt sweep 
With hand assured the ringing lyre of life, 
Till the fierce anguish of its bitter strife, 
Its pain, death, discord, sorrow, and despair, 
Break into rhythmic music. Thou shalt share 
The prophet-joy that kept forever glad 
God's poet-souls when all a world was sad. 
Enter and live ! Thou hast not lived before. 

— S. Weir Mitchell. 



Return unto thy rest, O my soul; 

For Jehovah hath dealt bountifully with thee. 

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, 

Mine eyes from tears, 

And my feet from falling. 

—Psalm 116. 7, 8. 



Almighty God, grant that I may never be so dis- 
couraged that I feel my life has been spent. Help 
me to so live, that I may not follow into hopeless 
days, but look for the bright and beautiful in to- 
morrow. Forgive me for all that I have asked for 
and accepted through willful judgment, and make 
me more careful in selecting my needs. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 71 



MARCH SECOND 

Juvenal born A. D. 40. 
John Wesley died 1791. 
Horace Walpole died 1797. 



Nature never says one thing, Wisdom another. 

— Juvenal. 

By all means, use some times to be alone; 

Salute thyself — see what thy soul doth wear; 
Dare to look in thy chest, for 'tis thine own, 

And tumble up and down what thou findest there. 

— William Wordsworth. 

Lonesomeness is part of the cost of power. The 
higher you climb, the less can you hope for com- 
panionship. The heavier and the more immediate 
the responsibility, the less can a man delegate his 
tasks or escape his own mistakes. — Shailer Mathews. 



But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine 
inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to 
thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who 
seeth in secret shall recompense thee. 

—Matthew 6. 6. 

My Father, I pray that thou wilt take care of my 
thoughts when I am alone and tired, and keep them 
strong and clean. Grant that while I commune 
with thee I may yield to my needs and be restored 
with keener energy for worthier deeds. May I ask 
of thy wisdom every day. Amen. 



72 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH THIRD 

Edmund Waller born 1605. 
George Herbert died 1633. 
Christine Nilsson born 1843. 



Pitch thy behaviour low, thy projects high, 
So shalt thou humble and magnanimous be; 

Sink not in spirit: who aimeth at the sky, 
Shoots higher than he that means a tree. 

— George Herbert. 



We and God have business with each other; and 
in opening ourselves to his influence our deepest 
destiny is fulfilled. — William James. 



While we look not at the things which are seen, 
but at the things which are not seen; for the things 
which are seen are temporal; but the things which 
are not seen are eternal. — 2 Corinthians 4. 18. 



Almighty God, help me to remember that "the 
power of character is the highest point of success," 
and that thou hast put within reach of all the choice 
ideals of life. May I have the desire to cultivate 
strong purposes, and strive for high endeavors, that 
I may not aim for the low. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 73 



MARCH FOURTH 

Casimer Pulaski born 1748. 

Sir Henry Raeburn born 1756. 

E. W. Bull, originator Concord grape, born 1806. 

Alexander Graham Bell born 1847. 



It is perfectly obvious that men do necessarily 
absorb, out of the influences in which they grow up, 
something which gives a complexion to their whole 
after-character. — Anthony Froude. 



All common things, each day's events 
That with the hour begin and end, 

Our pleasures and our discontents 
Are rounds by which we may ascend. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the 
good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. 

— Shakespeare. 

And David put his hand in his bag, and took 
thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine 
in his forehead; and the stone sank into his fore- 
head, and he fell upon his face to the earth. 

—1 Samuel 17. 49. 

My Father, I would remember that my life may 
decline from the neglect of small things; for as thou 
dost nourish the wheat from flakes of snow, and 
supply the springs from drops of rain, so thou wilt 
strengthen my soul from every little blessing. I 
pray that I may not forget to watch my habits, and 
keep track of the hours that culture and sustain my 
life. Amen. 



74 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH FIFTH 

Correggio died 1534. 
Howard Pyle born 1853. 
Arthur Foote born 1853. 



When I have the time so many things I'll do, 
To make life happier and more fair 
For those whose lives are crowded now with care, 
I'll help to lift them from their low despair 
When I have time. 

When I have time the friend I love so well 
Shall know no more the weary, toiling days; 
I'll lead his feet in pleasant paths always, 
And cheer his heart with words of sweetest praise, 
When I have time. 

Now is the time! Speed, friend; no longer wait 
To scatter loving smiles and words of cheer 
To those around whose lives are drear; 
They may not need you in the far-off year : 
Now is the time. 

— Unknown. 



Behold now is the acceptable time; behold, now is 
the day of salvation. — % Corinthians 6. 2. 



Lord God, teach me this day to know that the 
veriest trifle often keeps happiness alive, and that 
the smallest trifle often may kill it. I pray that now 
thou wilt put within my heart that touch of love, 
which brings consideration for others, and the care 
that brings the greatest happiness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 75 



MARCH SIXTH 

Michael Angelo Buonarroti born 1475. 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning born 1806. 
George du Maurier born 1831. 



Beloved, let us love so well 
Our work shall still be better for our love, 
And still our love be sweeter for our work : 
And both commended for the sake of each 

By all true workers and true lovers born. 

— Elizabeth B. Browning. 



Earth saddens, never shall remove, 

Affections purely given; 
And e'en that mortal grief shall prove 

The immortality of love, 
And heighten it with heaven. 

— Elizabeth B. Browning. 



And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and 
if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, 
it profiteth me nothing. — 1 Corinthians 13. 3. 



Loving Father, I pray that I may not try to 
change the standard of love by grafting on my own 
selfishness and infirmities. May I remember that 
it is mostly for gratification that love is held to the 
base in life; may I follow it to the summits, where it 
is divine. Amen. 



76 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH SEVENTH 

Sir Thomas Wilson died 1755. 
Sir Edwin Landseer born 1802. 
Luther Burbank born 1849. 



Earth gets its price for what it gives us; 

The beggar is taxed for a corner to die in, 
The priest has his fee who comes and shrives us. 

We bargain for the graves we lie in; 
At the devil's booth are all things sold, 

Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold; 
For a cap and bells our lives we pay, 

Bubbles we buy with a whole soul's tasking; 
'Tis heaven alone that is given away, 
'Tis only God may be had for the asking. 

— James Russell Lowell. 



We are our own fates. Our own deeds 
Are our doomsmen. Man's life was made 
Not for men's creeds, 
But men's actions. 

— Owen Meredith. 



The free gift of God is eternal life. — Romans 6. 23. 



Gracious Father, may the world speak to me of 
thy love, and of thy gifts of peace and power, which 
it freely offers. May I not pass by its great values, 
and prefer to purchase at a great cost my indolence 
and dissipation. — Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 77 



MARCH EIGHTH 

Dr. John Fothergill born 1712. 

C. P. Cranch born 1813. 

Anna Letitia Barbauld died 1825. 



O boundless self-contentment voiced 

In flying air-born bubbles! 
O joy that mocks our sad unrest, 

And frowns our earth-born troubles! 

The life that floods the happy fields 
With song and light and color, 

Will shape our lives to richer states 
And heap our measures fuller. 

— C. P. Cranch. 

One may secure and preserve that repose in the 
turbulence of a great city — as Shakespeare surely 
found and preserved it in the London of the six- 
teenth century. For repose does not depend on 
external conditions; it depends on sound adjustment 
to tasks, opportunities, pleasures, and the general 
order of life. — Hamilton Mabie. 



That we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all 
godliness and gravity. — 1 Timothy 2. 2. 



Gracious Father, help me to understand that 
peace cannot abide in misery, nor can it stay with 
every mood. May I be able to overcome the depres- 
sion that may keep me in sadness and isolation, 
and have delight in the gladness of friends, and live 
in the peace of strong resolutions. Amen. 



78 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH NINTH 

Americus Vespucius born 1451. 
Lewis Gonzaga born 1568. 
Comte de Mirabeau born 1749. 
William Cobbett born 1762. 
Edwin Forrest born 1806. 



Yet nerve thy spirit to the Proof, and blanch not 

at thy chosen lot; 
The timid good may stand aloof, the sage may 

frown — yet faint thou not; 
Nor heed the shaft too surely cast, the foul and 

hissing bolt of scorn; 
For with thy Side shall dwell, at last, the victory of 

endurance born. 

— William C. Bryant. 



You cannot dream yourself into a character; you 
must hammer and forge yourself into one. 

— James Anthony Froude. 



Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands be strong, 
in the days that I shall deal with thee? 

— Ezekiel 22. 14. 



Loving Father, search me, and if there be any 
evil ways in me, correct them, and lead me into 
the ways everlasting. I pray that I may not be 
deformed from selfishness, but with a lowly and ex- 
pectant heart run with patience and triumph the 
race that is set before me. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 79 



MARCH TENTH 

Bishop Duppa born 1698. 

Professor Playfair born 1748. 

Charles Loyson (Pere Hyacinthe) born 1827. 



So he died by his faith. That is fine — - 

More than the most of us do. 
But stay. Can you add to that line 

That he lived for it too? 

It is easy to die. Men have died 

For a wish or a whim — 
From bravado or passion or pride. 

Was it hard for him? 

But to live: every day to live out 

All the truth that he dreamt, 
While his friends met his conduct with doubt, 

And the world with contempt. 

Was it thus that he plodded ahead, 

Never turning aside? 
Then we'll talk of the life that he led. 

Never mind how he died. 

— Ernest Crosby. 

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that 
dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah: wherefore turn your- 
selves, and live. — Ezekiel 18. 32. 



Almighty God, help me to live an upright life. 
Give me courage to abandon useless customs, and 
seeming duties that keep me from perfecting my 
life. Amen. 



80 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH ELEVENTH 

Torquato Tasso born 1544. 
Alexander Mackenzie died 1820. 
Henry Drummond died 1897. 



There is nothing that is puerile in nature; and he 
who becomes impassioned of a flower, a blade of 
grass, a butterfly's wing, a nest, a shell, wraps 
around a small thing that always contains a great 
truth. To succeed in modifying the appearance of 
a flower is insignificant in itself, if you will; but 
reflect upon it for however short a while and it 
becomes gigantic. — Maurice Maeterlinck. 



O world, as God has made it! All is beauty: 
And knowing this, is love, and love is duty : 
What further may be sought for or declared? 

— Robert Browning. 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; 
they toil not, neither do they spin: yet I say unto 
you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not 
arrayed like one of these. — Matthew 6. 28, 29. 



Creator of all, I do know that if I may hold my- 
self close enough, I can hear restful music through 
the breeze, and find secrets in the flowers and 
leaves. I rejoice that thou hast made the woods 
and rivers that thou dost love, so I too might 
possess them, and not be a tenant of them only. 
May I look and study deeper the things which 
bring me closer to thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 81 



MARCH TWELFTH 

Cesare Borgia killed 1507. 
Bishop Buckley born 1684. 
Simon Newcomb born 1835. 



Among the happiest and proudest possessions of 
a man is his character. It is a wreath, it is a bank 
in itself. What is the essence and life of character? 
Principle, integrity, independence. — Bulwer Lytton. 



No great genius was ever without some mixture 
of madness, nor can anything grand or superior to 
the voice of common mortals be spoken except by 
the agitated soul. — Aristotle. 



Handsome is that handsome does. 

— Oliver Goldsmith. 



Since thou hast been precious in my sight, and 
honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I 
give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy 
life. — Isaiah 43. 4. 



Lord God, forbid that I should try to supplant 
character with manners and worldly goods. May I 
remember that thou seest me, and knowest me, and 
I need no shield from thee. Help me that I may be 
found acceptable while thou dost search me to the 
depths of the soul. Amen. 



82 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH THIRTEENTH 

Joseph Priestley born 1733. 
Esther Johnson (Stella) born 1681. 
Regina Maria Roche died 1845. 



If stores of dry and learned lore we gain 
We keep them in the memory of the brain; 
Names, things, and facts — whate'er we knowledge 1 
call, 

There is the common ledger for them all; 
And images on this cold surface traced 
Make slight impressions and are soon effaced. 
But we've a page more glowing and more bright 
On which our friendship and our love to write; 
That these may never from the soul depart, 
We trust them to the memory of the heart. 
There is no dimming — no effacement here; 
Each pulsation keeps the record clear; 
Warm golden letters all the tablet fill, 
Nor lose their luster till the heart stands still. 

— Daniel Webster. 

I often wonder why it is that we are not all 
kinder than we are. How much the world needs it! I 
How easily it is done! How instantaneously it acts! 
How infallibly it is remembered! 

— Henry Drummond, | 

I 

Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt 
find it after many days. — Ecclesiastes 11. 1. 

My Father, thou hast taught me through the gifts 
of life, that there is no labor or price too dear to 
pay for love. I pray to love thee more that I may 
have more love to bestow on others. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 83 



MARCH FOURTEENTH 

Thomas H. Benton born 1782. 
Johann Strauss born 1804. 
Victor Emmanuel born 1820. 



Rivers to the ocean run, 

Nor stay in all their course; 
Fire ascending seeks the sun; 

Both speed them to their source; 
So a soul that's born of God, 

Pants to view his glorious face, 
Upward tends to his abode, 

To rest in his embrace. 

— Robert Seagrave. 

As the bird trims her to the gale 

I trim myself to the storm of time; 
I man the rudder, reef the sail, 

Obey the voice at eve obeyed at prime; 
Lowly faithful, banish fear, 
The port well worth the cruise is near 
And every wave is charmed. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, 
So panteth my soul after thee, O God. 

—Psalm 42. 1. 

My Father, I pray that if I meet with difficulty, 
I may not go backward, nor stand still, and fear 
to go forward. Unfold to me the depth and 
breadth of the ideal and beautiful, that I may not 
be content to succeed in the shallowness of life: 
but may I aspire to the height of the soul, even if I 
fail to acquire great things. Amen. 



84 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH FIFTEENTH 

Julius Csesar killed B. C. 44. 
Peasants War began 1512. 

Andrew Jackson, North Carolina, seventh President 

United States, born 1767. 
John Davenport died 1670. 

I will take the responsibility! — Andrew Jackson. 

What ought to be possible for everyone is to ar- 
rive at a sort of harmony of life, to have definite 
things that they want to do. . . . The people whom 
it is hard to fit into any scheme of benevolent crea- 
tion are the vague, insignificant, drifting people, 
whose only rooted tendency is to do whatever is 
suggested to them. — Arthur C. Benson. 

Heard are the voices, 
Heard are the sages, 
The worlds, and the ages; 

Choose well! your choice is 
Brief and endless. 

— Goethe. 

Only be strong and very courageous, to observe 
to do according to all the law. . . . — Joshua 1. 7. 

Gracious Father, I pray that thou wilt free me 
from evil thoughts before they become a habit. 
Create in me that freedom which makes me not 
ashamed to acknowledge the wrong, and which will 
enable me to stand for the right. Quicken my 
thoughts, that they may keep my heart inspired. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 85 



MARCH SIXTEENTH 

James Madison, Virginia, fourth President United 

States, born 1751. 
Caroline Lucretia Herschel born 1750. 
Alexander Watts born 1797. 



If we live truly we shall see truly. It is as easy 
for the strong man to be strong as it is for the weak 
to be weak. When we have new perception we 
shall gladly disburthen the memory of the hoarded 
treasures as old rubbish. When a man lives with 
God his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of 
the brook and the rustle of the corn. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



The tissue of the life to be, 

We weave with colors all our own, 

And in the field of Destiny 
We reap as we have sown. 

— Raphael. 



Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and 
John, and had perceived that they were unlearned 
and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took 
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

—Acts 4. 13. 



Lord God, quiet me if I am not calm, that my 
soul may be able to contemplate and have an op- 
portunity to grow. Help me, that I may be able 
even in discouragements to have the true perception 
of life. Amen. 



86 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH SEVENTEENTH 

Saint Patrick's Day. 
Ebenezer Elliott born 1781. 
Dr. Thomas Chalmers born 1780. 
Moncure D. Conway born 1832. 
Clara Morris born 1849. 



What is really wanted is to light up the spirit 
that is within a child. In some sense and in some 
effectual degree there is in every child the material 
of good work in the world; and in every child, not 
only in those who are brilliant, not only in those 
who are quick, but in those who are stolid, and even 
in those who are dull. — William Gladstone. 



If you make children happy now, you will make 
them happy twenty years hence by the memory of 
it. — Kate Douglas Wiggin. 



And these words, which I command thee this day, 
shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them 
diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them 
when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou 
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and 
when thou risest up. — Deuteronomy 6. 6, 7. 



Lord God, may I be diligent for the progress of 
little children. Show me how I may minister unto 
them; and grant that I may be able to see the 
necessity of giving, more than I do the pleasure of 
receiving. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 87 



MARCH EIGHTEENTH 

William Byrd died 1674. 
John C. Calhoun born 1782. 

Grover Cleveland, New Jersey, twenty-second Presi- 
dent United States, born 1837. 



My minde to me a kingdom is: 

Such perfect joy therein I finde 
As far exceeds all earthly blisse 

That God or nature hath assignede. 

— William Byrd. 



Teach your proud will to make those nobler choices 

Which bring to soul and heart enduring health. 
Deafen your ears to those contending voices, 

Look in your heart, learn your own being's wealth. 
Its resources vast, its undiscovered treasure 

Waiting for these same idle hands to mine. 
Learn that the grandest of Nature's creations 

May not be bounded by man's limitations. 

—Rose E. Cleveland. 



But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? 
And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. 

—Job 23. 13. 



Almighty God, grant that I may never succumb 
to the controlling influences of the body, and lose 
the power of my mind. May I guard the dictates 
of my heart and keep my mind in command to obey 
thy will. Amen. 



88 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH NINETEENTH 

David Livingstone born 1813. 

Alice French (Octave Thanet) born 1850. 

William Jennings Bryan born 1860. 



Isn't it interesting to get blamed for everything? 
But I must be thankful in feeling that I would 
rather perish than blame another for my misdeeds 
and deficiencies. — David Livingstone. 



Criticism is helpful. If a man makes a mistake, 
criticism enables him to correct it; if he is unjustly 
criticized, the criticism helps him. I have had my 
share of criticism since I have been in public life, 
but it has not prevented me from doing what I 
thought proper to do. — William Jennings Bryan. 



For himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, 
neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So that 
with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; 
I will not fear. — Hebrews 13. 5, 6. 



Loving Father, I thank thee that thou art the 
same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and I am glad 
I cannot receive from thee the slights and wounds 
that I may give or receive from my friends. May I 
be considerate and more forgiving, and by my sin- 
cerity be worthy of the purpose which I pursue. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 89 



MARCH TWENTIETH 

Publius Ovidius (Ovid) born B. C. 43. 
Sir Isaac Newton died 1727. 
Karl August Nicander born 1799. 
Henrik Ibsen born 1828. 



Whoever is not with me in the essential things of 
life, him I no longer know — I owe him no considera- 
tion. — Henrik Ibsen. 



Only he who lives in truth finds it. The deepest 
truth is not born of conscious striving, but comes 
in the quiet hour when a noble nature gives itself 
into the keeping of life, to suffer, to feel, to think, 
and to act as it is moved by a wisdom not its own. 

— Hamilton Mabie. 



Forgetting the things which are behind, and 
stretching forward to the things which are before, 
I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the 
high calling of God. — Philippians 3. 13, 14. j 



Lord God, I thank thee for the silent ways of 
revelation which bring hopeful communion with 
thee. Help me to be composed, that my life may 
not create a noise and my soul miss the messages 
that come from the depths of truth and love. 
Amen. 



90 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH TWENTY-FIRST 

Johann Sebastian Bach born 1685. 
Archbishop Cranmer burnt at Oxford 1556. 
Jean Paul Richter born 1763. 
Henry Kirke White born 1785. 



Go through life with soft influences breathing 
around thee. Keep thy heart high above the many- 
colored mist of earth and above its storm clouds. 

— Jean Paul Richter. 

Recollection is the only paradise from which we 
cannot be turned out. — Jean Paul Richter. 



Come, Disappointment, come! 

Thou art not stern to me; 
Sad monitress! I own thy sway, 
A votary sad in every day, 
I bend my knee to thee, 
From sun to sun 
My race will run; 
I only bow, and say, My God, thy will be done! 

— Henry Kirke White. 

If I say, I will forget my complaint, 
I will put off my sad countenance, and be of good 
cheer. 

—Job 9. 27. 

Gracious Father, help me to respond cheerfully 
when called upon to give. May I never repent of 
tenderness which others fail to appreciate, but may 
I be glad of all that I give and for all I receive. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 91 



MARCH TWENTY-SECOND 

Sir Anthony Vandyke born 1599. 
Caroline Sheridan Norton born 1808. 
Johann Goethe died 1832. 
Dr. Farrar, Dean of Canterbury, died 1903. 
Rosa Bonheur born 1822. 



Red Love still rules the day, white Faith enfolds 
the night, 

And hope, green-mantled, leads the way by the 

walls of the City of Light. 
Therefore I walk as one who sees the joy shine 

through 

Of the other Life behind our life, like the stars 
behind the blue. 

— Dean Farrar. 



There can be no greater delight than is experienced 
by a man who, by his own unaided resources, frees 
himself from the consequences of error: Heaven 
looks down with satisfaction upon such a spectacle. 

— Goethe. 



Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they 
shall behold a land that reacheth afar. 

—Isaiah 33. 17. 



Lord God, help me to remember that I may not 
only be forgiven for my transgression, but with thy 
help I may be led away from the wrong. May I 
be content to follow where thou dost lead. Amen. 



92 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH TWENTY-THIRD 

Pierre Savant La Place born 1749. 
Schuyler Colfax born 1823. 
Richard A. Proctor born 1837. 



Silence is the element in which great things 
fashion themselves together; that at length they 
may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the 
daylight of life. . . . Nay, in thy own mean 
perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue 
for one day; on the morrow how much clearer are 
thy purposes and duties ! 

— Thomas Carlyle. 



Deliberate much before you say and do any- 
thing; for it will not be in your power to recall 
what is said or done. — Epictetus. 



Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; 
Keep the door of my lips. 

—Psalm 141. 3. 



My Lord, make me a lover of the truth. Make 
me careful of my thoughts, and the words I would 
speak, that I may not think selfishly and speak 
cruelly, but keep myself holy unto thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 93 



MARCH TWENTY-FOURTH 

Queen Elizabeth died 1603. 
Fanny Crosby born 1820. 
Henry W. Longfellow died 1882. 
Sir Edwin Arnold died 1904. 



Every quivering tongue of flame 
Seems to murmur some great name, 

Seems to say to me "Aspire!" 
No endeavor is in vain; 
Its reward is in the doing, 
And the rapture of pursuing 

Is the prize of vanquished gain. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



Never be sad or desponding 

If thou hast faith to believe; 
Grace for the duties before thee 

Ask of thy God and receive. 

— Fanny Crosby. 



I spread forth my hands unto thee: 

My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land. 

—Psalm 143. 6. 



Almighty God, make me conscious of my weak- 
nesses, and make me ashamed of my indulgences. 
Give me a victory over self; and may I consider 
more what I put in my life. May I be eager for 
that which will inspire me for greater aspirations. 
Amen. 



94 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH TWENTY-FIFTH 

Archbishop John Williams born 1582. 
Joachim Murat born 1771. 
Anna Seward died 1809. 

How awful is the thought of the wonders under- 
ground, 

Of the mystic changes wrought in the silent, dark 
profound! 

How each thing upward tends by necessity decreed, 
And the world's support depends on the shooting of 
a seed ! 

The summer's in her ark, and this sunny-pinioned 
day 

Is commissioned to remark whether Winter holds 

her sway : 

Go back, thou dove of peace, with myrtle on thy 
wing, 

Say that floods and tempests cease, and the world 
is ripe for Spring. 

— Horace Smith. 

I should never have made my success in life if I 
had not bestowed upon the least thing I have ever 
undertaken the same attention and care that I have 
bestowed upon the greatest. — Charles Dickens. 

Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, 
that nothing be lost. — John 6. 12. 

Loving Father, cause me to learn from nature 
that to have perfection I must be attentive at the 
beginning of growth. Help me to select with care 
the soil wherein I plant; and to weed and cultivate 
my life that it may grow to beauty and usefulness. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 95 



MARCH TWENTY-SIXTH 

Konrad von Gesner born 1516. 
W. E. H. Lecky born 1838. 
Gustave Guillaumet born 1840. 
Walt Whitman died 1892. 



Every man takes care that his neighbor shall not 
cheat him, but a day comes when he begins to care 
that he do not cheat his neighbor. Then all goes 
well. He has changed his market-cart into a chariot 
of the sun. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



He that is unacquainted with the nature of the 
world must be at a loss to know where he is. And 
he that cannot tell the ends he was made for is 
ignorant both of himself and the world too. 

— Marcus Aurelius. 



Give diligence to present thyself approved unto 
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, 
handling aright the word of truth. — 2 Timothy 2. 15. 



Almighty God, may I not only approve of justice 
and kindness, but practice it. Grant that I may 
be attentive to the call of work and steadfast in 
completing it. May I be sincere to those who are 
dear to me, and never falter in my support to those 
who are dependent upon me. Amen. 



96 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Alfred Vigny born 1799. 
General A. W. Greely born 1847. 
Sir Gilbert Scott died 1878. 



It takes great strength to bring your life up square 

With your accepted thought and hold it there : 

Resisting the inertia that drags it back 

From new attempts, to the old habit's track. 

It is so easy to drift back, to sink. 

So hard to live abreast of what you think. 

— Charlotte Perkins Stetson. 



If a person had delivered up your body to anyone 
whom he met in his way, you would certainly be 
angry. And do you feel no shame in delivering up 
your own mind to be disconcerted and confounded 
by anyone who happens to give you ill language. 

— Epictetus. 



Wherefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient 
unto the heavenly vision. — Acts 26. 19. 

• I 



My Father, my soul sinks with shame when I 
think of the great moments that I have given over 
to mean little things. Help me that I may reckon 
more on the value of time, and live not to tolerate 
life, but to have a great need for it, that day by 
day I may have a deeper consciousness of its ap- 
propriate use. Amen. 



I 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 97 



MARCH TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Santi d'Urbino Raphael born 1483. 
Sir Thomas Smith born 1514. 
Margaret (Peg) Woffington died 1760. 



They may not need me, 

Yet they might; 
I'll let my heart be 

Just in sight — 

A smile so small 

As mine might be 
Precisely their 

Necessity. 

— Unknown. 

You hear that boy laughing? — you think he's all fun; 
But the angels laugh too at the good he has done; 
The children laugh loud as they troop to his call, 
And the poor man that knows him laughs loudest 
of all. 

— Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and 
clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all 
malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender- 
hearted, forgiving each other. — Ephesians 4. 31. 



Lord God, I pray that I may be fair, and not 
pass judgment on those whom I like or those whom 
I dislike, and so bring unhappy regrets. May I re- 
member that, though hasty judgment often may be 
temporary, the gain or loss of a friend may be 
permanent. Amen. 



98 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH TWENTY-NINTH 
Dr. John Lightfoot born 1602. 

John Tyler, Virginia, tenth President United States, 

born 1790. 
Amelia Barr born 1831. 



The year's at the spring 
And the day's at the morn; 
The hillside's dew-pearled; 
The lark's on the wing: 
The snail's on the thorn; 
God's in his heaven: 
All's well with the world. 

— Robert Browning. 

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, 

Forgive our feverish ways; 
Reclothe us in our rightful mind; 
In purer lives thy service find, 

In deeper reverence praise. 

—John G. Whittier. 



In quietness and in confidence shall be your 
strength. — Isaiah 30. 15. 



Lord God, I beseech thee to give me the strength 
which endures. Grant that I may have the cease- 
less content which is secured by choosing and con- 
tinuing in the right way. From the wealth of each 
day renew my hope, and quiet my soul with the 
calm of thy peace. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 99 



MARCH THIRTIETH 

Sir Henry Wotton born 1568. 
Archbishop Somner born 1606. 
John Fiske born 1842. 
John Constable died 1837. 

I said, "Let us walk in the field." 

He said, "Nay walk in the town." 
I said, "There are no flowers there." 

He said, "No flowers but a crown." 

I said, "But the air is thick, 

And the fogs are veiling the sun." 

He answered, "Yet souls are sick 
And souls in the dark undone." 

I cast one look at the field, 
Then set my face to the town. 

He said: "My child, do you yield? 

Will ye leave the flowers for the crown?" 

Then into his hand went mine 

And into my heart came He, 
And I walked in a light divine 

The path I had feared to see. 

— George Macdonald. 

Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, 
and obey the voice of Jehovah your God. 

—Jeremiah 26. 13. 

Eternal God, teach me the way of a complete 
and unbroken trust. In my disappointments, and 
in my devotions, may my faith and hope be as im- 
mortal as my soul. May I listen for thy voice and 
answer thy call. Amen. 



100 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MARCH THIRTY-FIRST 

Ludwig von Beethoven died 1827. 
Joseph Francis Haydn born 1732. 
Andrew Lang born 1844. 
Charlotte Bronte died 1855. 



The Great Being unseen, but all-present, who in 
his beneficence desires only our welfare, watches 
the struggle between good and evil in our hearts, 
and waits to see whether we obey his voice, heard 
in the whispers of conscience, or lend an ear to the 
Spirit Evil, which seeks to lead us astray. Rough 
and steep is the path indicated by divine sugges- 
tion; mossy and declining the green way along 
which temptation strews flowers. Then conscience 
whispers, "Do what you feel is right, obey me, and 
I will plant for you firm footing." 

— Charlotte Bronte. 

God help us do our duty, and not shrink, 
And trust in heaven humbly for the rest. 

— Owen Meredith. 

I call heaven and earth to witness against you 
this day, that I have set before thee life and death, 
the blessing and the curse : therefore choose life. 

— Deuteronomy 30. 19. 

My Father, as I review my life I am impressed 
how accurately my deeds have copied my thoughts. 
And though I have failed the so often, yet I pray 
that thou wilt accept my yearnings, to think and 
work for the best in every day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 101 



APRIL 

God's April is coming up the hill, and the noisy- 
winds are quieting down, subdued by the fragrance 
of the wild flowers on the way. Lest we miss the 
richness of life, while pursuing the world, God con- 
tinues to pour out precious fragrance from his store- 
house, and unconsciously, our souls are lulled to 
peace through the sweetness of April days. — M. B. S. 



102 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL FIRST 

All Fools' Day. 
William Harvey born 1578. 
Prince von Bismarck born 1815. 
Edwin A. Abbey born 1852. 
Agnes Repplier born 1858. 



It is a peculiar quality of a fool to perceive the 
faults of others, and to forget his own. — Cicero. 



A man may be as much a fool from the want of 
sensibility as the want of sense. — Mrs. Jameson. 



He that knows not, and knows not that he knows 
not, is a fool: shun him. — Arabian Maxim. 



Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? 
There is more hope of a fool than of him. 

—Proverbs 26. 12. 



Almighty God, grant that I may be spared the 
allurements of deceptive happiness which leaves 
weary days. I ask for wisdom that I may not 
speak foolishly, think foolishly, or act foolishly; 
and may I not be detained by the foolishness of 
others, but pursue my work, whether it be far or 
near. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



103 



APRIL SECOND 

! Charlemagne born 742. 

Thomas Jefferson, Virginia, third President United 

States, born 1743. 
Hans Andersen born 1805. 
Frederic A. Bartholdi born 1834. 
Emile Zola born 1840. 



When a man assumes a public trust he should 
consider himself public property. — Thomas Jefferson. 



We hold these truths to be self-evident — that all 
men are created equal; that they are endowed by 
their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that 
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness. — Declaration of Independence. 



Breathes there the man with soul so dead 
Who never to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land! 
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned 
As home his footsteps he hath turned 

From wandering on a foreign strand? 

— Sir Walter Scott. 

Render therefore unto Csesar the things that are 
Caesar's.— Matthew 22. 21. 



My Lord, I thank thee for the wisdom and love 
that is spoken through the lives of strong men and 
women. Grant that I may be willing to learn of 
them, and gladly serve where I am needed, remem- 
bering that thou art Lord of all. Amen. 



104 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL THIRD 

George Herbert born 1593. 
Washington Irving born 1783. 
Edward Everett Hale born 1822. 
John Burroughs born 1837. 



Sum up at night what thou hast done by day 
And in the morning what thou hast to do : 
Dress and undress thy soul: mark the decay 
And growth of it; if with thy watch that too 
Be dowl, then wind up both : since we shall be 
Most surely judged, make thy accounts agree. 

— George Herbert. 

To look up and not down, 
To look forward and not back, 
To look out and not in, and 
To lend a hand. 

— Edward E. Hale. 

There is a healthy hardiness about real dignity 
that never dreads contact and communion with 
others, however humble. — Washington Irving. 



I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: 
My justice was as a robe and a diadem. 

—Job 29. 14. 

My Lord, I pray that I may always be found 
clothed in love and kindness. Make me worthy to 
minister to those who may be dependent on me, 
and whether they be rich or poor, high or low, may 
I try to help them. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 105 



APRIL FOURTH 

Oliver Goldsmith died 1774. 

Dorothea Dix born 1802. 

James Freeman Clarke born 1810. 



"The greatest object in the universe/' said a 
certain philosopher, "is a good man struggling with 
adversity"; yet there is still a greater, which is the 
good man who comes to relieve it. 

i — Oliver Goldsmith. 

Yet I believe that somewhere, soon or late, 

A peace will fall 
Upon the angry reaches of my mind; 

A peace initiate 
In some heroic hour when I behold 
A friend's long-quested triumph, or unbind 

The tressed gold 
From a child's laughing face. I still believe — 

So much believe. 

— J. Drinkwater. 

But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth 
his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion 
from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? 

—1 John 3. 17. 

Almighty God, may I have a liberal heart. Grant 
that I may feel the needs of thy children in all lands; 
and may I be willing to give of thy blessings, as I 
am ready to receive them. May my tribute be not 
only of tender thoughts and kind words, but may I 
give of myself, and of what I have, as thou hast 
through love and wisdom done for me. Amen. 



106 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL FIFTH 

Elihu Yale born 1648. 
Sir Henry Havelock born 1795. 
Frank Stockton (Francis) born 1834. 
Algernon Charles Swinburne born 1837. 



As morning hears before it run 
The music of the mounting sun, 
And laughs to watch his trophies won 
From darkness, and her hosts undone, 
And all the night becomes a breath, 
Nor dreams that fear should hear and flee 
The summer menace of the sea, 
So hear our hope what life may be, 
And know it not for death. 

— Algernon Charles Swinburne. 



I came from God, and I'm going back to God, 
and I won't have any gaps of death in the middle 
of my life. — George MacDonald. 



The hope of the righteous shall be gladness; 
But the expectation of the wicked shall perish. 

—Proverbs 10. 28. 



Lord God, teach me the way and show me the 
light of the eternal day; and may the vision fill my 
soul as I take courage and follow it. May I not be 
fearful of what may be provided, but remember 
that before the creation of life thou didst have a 
purpose in death. May I be trustful. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 107 



APRIL SIXTH 

Albert Diirer died 1528. 

James Mill born 1773. 

Jean Baptiste Rousseau born 1669. 



Even if the sacrifices which are made to duty 
and virtue are painful to make, they are well re- 
paid by the sweet recollections which they leave at 
the bottom of the heart. — Jean B. Rousseau. 



I am the man of a thousand loves, 

A thousand loves have I; 
And all my loves are white-winged doves, 

That into my soul would fly. 

I am the man of a thousand friends 

Of tuneful memory; 
And each of them spends the delicate ends 

Of a brilliant day with me. 

And all my gifts are magical words 

That sing sweet songs to me; 
And the sensitive words are caroling birds 

In the garden of imagery. 

— Edwin Leibfreed. 

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee 
the crown of life. — Revelation 2. 10. 



Loving Father, I bless thee for thy love and 
ministry. May I enter into a broader conception of 
sharing thy gifts. May I not seek thy blessings to 
keep, but to use for renewed inspiration. Amen. 



108 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL SEVENTH 

Saint Francis Xavier born 1506. 
William Wordsworth born 1770. 
William Ellery Channing born 1780. 

My heart leaps up when I behold 

A rainbow in the sky: 
So was it when my life began; 
So is it now I am a man; 
So be it when I shall grow old, 

Or let me die ! 
The child is Father of the Man: 
And I could wish my days to be 
Bound each to each by natural piety. 

— William Wordsworth. 

A self-controlled mind is a free mind, and freedom 
is power. I call that mind free which jealously 
guards its intellectual rights and powers. I call 
that mind free which resists the bondage of habit, 
which does not live on its old virtues, but forgets 
what is behind, and rejoices to pour itself forth in 
fresh and higher exertions. 

— William Ellery Channing. 

That ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 
and put on the new man, that after God hath been 
created in righteousness and holiness of truth. 

— Ephesians 4. 23, 24. 

Lord God, give me the power to control my mind 
and heart, that I may not be a slave to habits that 
may keep me from eternal love and blessedness. 
May I have sympathy and compassion for others, 
and cherish thy tenderness and mercy as I hold it 
in my daily life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 109 



APRIL EIGHTH 

Petrarch crowned 1341. 

William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, born 1580. 
David Rittenhouse born 1732. 



If I can stop one heart from breaking, 

I shall not live in vain; 
If I can ease one life from aching, 

Or cool one pain, 
Or help one fainting robin 

Unto his nest again, 
I shall not live in vain. 

— Emily Dickinson. 

The most solid comfort one can fall back upon is 
the thought that the business of one's life is to help 
in some small way to reduce the sum of ignorance, 
degradation, and misery on the face of this beauti- 
ful earth. — George Eliot. 



Make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, 
having the same love, being of one accord, of one 
mind; doing nothing through faction or through 
vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting 
other better than himself. — Philippians 2. 2, 3. 



My Father, take away the spirit, if I may be 
inclined to keep the best, and to be always seeking 
my portion. May I have the desire to share with 
those who have less, and to give to those who may 
have more, whether it be of bread or love. Amen. 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL NINTH 

Fisher Ames born 1758. 

John Opie died 1807. 

Dante Gabriel Rossetti died 1882. 



Gather a shell from the strown beach 

And listen at its lips; they sigh 

The same desire and mystery, 
The echo of the whole sea's speech. 

And all mankind is this at heart — 

Not anything but what thou art: 
And Earth, Sea, Man are all in each. 

— Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 

And as, in sparkling majesty, a star 

Gilds the bright summit of some glory cloud; 

Brightening the half-veil'd face of heaven afar; 
So when dark thoughts my boding spirit shroud, 

Sweet Hope! celestial influence round me shed, 

Waving the silver pinions o'er my head. 

— John Keats. 

i 

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and 
peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in 
the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15. 13. 



Almighty God, may I ever know the generous 
glow that comes with an overwhelming desire to 
cultivate the soul. With hope may I find the way 
through the darkness that leads to immortality, 
even if I may have to experience the weariness that 
may accompany it. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 111 



APRIL TENTH 

Hugo Grotius born 1583. 
William Hazlitt born 1778. 
General Lew Wallace born 1827. 
General William Booth born 1829. 



The essence of happy living is never to find life 
dull, never to feel the ugly weariness which comes 
of overstrain; to be fresh, cheerful, leisurely, sociable, 
unhurried, well-balanced. It seems to me impos- 
sible to be these things unless we have time to 
consider life a little, to deliberate, to select, to 
abstain. — Arthur C. Benson. 



Four things come not back— the spoken word, 
the sped arrow, the past life, the neglected op- 
portunity. — William Hazlitt. 



Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to 
make your calling and election sure. — 2 Peter 1. 10. 



My Father, may I not miss my work through in- 
difference and feel it is thy neglect of me. May I 
be reminded that the enrichment of life comes 
through persistency and being consistent, and may 
not be found on the idle paths of extravagant ways. 
Help me to take up my work with a willing spirit 
and give my best to it. Amen. 



112 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL ELEVENTH 

George Canning born 1770. 
Edward Everett born 1794. 
Donald G. Mitchell (Ik Marvel) born 1822. 



The safe path to excellence and success in every 
calling, is that of appropriate preliminary education, 
diligent application to learn the art of assiduity and 
practicing it. — Edward Everett. 



That nothing walks with aimless feet; 

That not one life shall be destroyed, 

Or cast as rubbish to the void, 
When God hath made the pile complete. 

Behold, we know not anything : 
I can but trust that good shall fall 
At last — far off — at last, to all, 

And every winter change to spring. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



And we desire that each one of you may show the 
same diligence unto the fullness of hope even to 
the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of 
them who through faith and patience inherit the 
promises. — Hebrews 6. 11, 12. 



Lord God, help me in all my circumstances, and 
be with me in my daily work. Help me in my 
efforts, as I endeavor to attain, and may my will 
be hid in thine. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 113 



APRIL TWELFTH 

Edward Young died 1765. 
Edward Bird born 1772. 
Henry Clay born 1777. 



I would rather be right than be President. 

— Henry Clay. 



Who does the best his circumstances allow 
Does well, acts nobly; angels could no more. 

— Edward Young. 



Pedigree haz no more to do in making a man 
aktually grater than he iz than a pekok's feather 
in his hat haz in making him aktually taller. When 
the world stands in need of an arestokrat, natur 
pitches one into it, and furnishes him papers with- 
out enny flaw in them. — Josh Billings. 



Cast not away therefore your boldness, which 
hath great recompense of reward. For ye have 
need of patience, that, having done the will of God, 
ye may receive the promise. — Hebrews 10. 35, 36. 



Lord God, help me to select with care the site, 
the plans, and the foundation of my life. May I 
use the best material; and may it be worthy of a 
permanent home. Amen. 



114 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL THIRTEENTH 

Madame Jeanne Guy on born 1648. 
Dr. Thomas Beddoes born 1760. 
James Harper born 1795. 



If there were dreams to sell, 
Merry and sad to tell, 
And the crier rang the bell, 
What would you buy? 

A cottage lone and still 

With bowers nigh, 
Shadowy, my woes to still, 

Until I die. 
Such pearl from Life's fresh crown 
Fain would I shake me down, 
Were dreams to have at will 
This would best heal my ill, 

This would I buy. 

— Thomas Lovell Beddoes. 

I pray you, bear me hence 
From forth the noise and rumor of the field* 
Where I may think the remnant of my thoughts 
In peace, and part this body and my soul 
With contemplation and devout desires. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, 
and rest awhile. — Mark 6. 31. 



Lord God, help me to bear in mind that to step 
aside and safeguard the mind in contemplation is 
a safe guard to the soul. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 115 



APRIL FOURTEENTH 

Dr. George Gregory born 1754. 
George Frederic Handel died 1759. 
Horace Bushnell born 1802. 



Flower in the crannied wall, 
I pluck you out of the crannies — 
Hold you here, root and all, in my hand, 
Little flower — but if I could understand 
What you are, root and all, and all in all, 
I should know what God and man is. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

So much is history stranger than fiction, and so 
true it is Nature has caprices which Art dares not 
imitate. — Thomas Macaulay. 



Nature is the face of God. He appears to us 
through it, and we can read his thoughts in it. 

— Victor Hugo. 

Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works 

which thou hast done, 
And thy thoughts which are to us-ward. 

—Psalm 40. 5. 



Eternal God, I thank thee for the seasons which 
bring abundance and beauty. I thank thee for thy 
loving care, which is over all and forever. May I 
behold thy works and make thee a very present 
help for all my needs, and perceive the joy of thy 
love through the greatness of the earth. Amen. 



116 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL FIFTEENTH 

Emile Souvestre born 1806. 
John Lothrop Motley born 1814. 
Henry James born 1843. 
Abraham Lincoln died 1865. 



Two thirds of human existence are wasted in hesi- 
tation, and the last third in repentance. 

— Emile Souvestre. 



And, having thus chosen our course, let us renew 
our trust in God and go forward without fear and 
with manly hearts. — Abraham Lincoln. 



The barriers are not erected which shall say to 
aspiring talent, "Thus far and no further." 

— Beethoven. 



Be strong and of good courage. — Joshua 1. 6. 



Almighty God, I pray that I may always be alive 
to my opportunities, but may I never leave others 
impoverished by taking advantage of them. May 
my prosperity be conducted with my eyes open, 
guarding what I give and receive, that my posses- 
sions may remain valuable through life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 117 



APRIL SIXTEENTH 

Charles Montagu, Earl of Halifax, born 1661. 
Charles W. Peale born 1741. 
Sir John Franklin born 1786. 



Weary of myself and sick of asking 
What I am, and what I ought to be, 

At the vessel's prow I stand, which bears me 
Forward, forward, o'er the starlit sea. 

O air-born voice! long since severely clear, 
A cry like thine in my own heart I hear. 
Resolve to be thyself: and know that he 
Who finds himself, loses his misery. 

— Matthew Arnold. 

This above all : to thine own self be true, 
And it must follow, as the night the day, 
Thou can'st not then be false to any man. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Let thine eyes look right on, 

And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 

Make level the path of thy feet, 

And let all thy ways be established. 

—Proverbs 4. 25, 26. 

My Father, give me a sense of nearness to thee 
when I may be faltering from weariness in well 
doing. May I hold to my determinations. Help 
me to know what is useless, that I may not give 
unnecessary energy, and to know what is worth 
while, that I may acquire strength through the 
power of truth. Amen. 



118 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL SEVENTEENTH 

Bishop Benjamin Hoadley died 1761 
Benjamin Franklin died 1790. 
William G. Simms born 1806. 



Shall I ask the brave soldier who fights at my side, 
In the cause of mankind, if our creeds agree? 

Shall I give up the friend I have valued and tried, 
If he kneel not before the same altar as me? 

— Thomas Moore. 



I met a little Elf-man once, 

Down where the lilies blow. 
I asked him why he was so small 

And why he didn't grow. 

He slightly frowned, and with his eye 
He looked me through and through, 

"I'm quite as big for me," said he 
"As you are big for you." 

— John Kendrick Bangs. 



Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, 
and prudent in their own sight! — Isaiah 5. 21. 



Loving Father, grant that I may not barter love j 
with formalities, nor sacrifice love for customs. 
But may I have a fellowship that is true and sincere, 
and that may be counted on, though all and for all. 
Amen. i 



I 

FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 119 



APRIL EIGHTEENTH 

Lord Jeffreys died 1689. 
George Henry Lewes born 1817. 
Sir Francis Baring born 1740. 



Nor can I count him happiest who has never 
Been forced with his own hand his chains to sever, 

And for himself find out the way divine; 
He never knew the aspirer's glorious pains, 
He never earned the straggler's priceless gains. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

There is not time for hate, O wasteful friend. 
Put hate away until the ages end. 
Have you an ancient wound? Forget the wrong- 
Out in my West a forest loud with song 
Towers high and green over a field of snow, 
Over a glacier buried far below. 

— Edwin Markham. 



Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the 
life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst 
confess the good confession in the sight of many 
witnesses. — 1 Timothy 6. 12. 



Lord God, help me to realize the power of my life. 
I feel ashamed and alarmed when I think of the 
grievous wrongs I may have done for greed. May 
I have delight in the struggles I have made for 
the ways of righteousness. Make me careful to 
avoid the things that debase life. May I aspire for 
the highest and best. Amen. 



no 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL NINETEENTH 

Roger Sherman born 1721. 

Lord Byron died 1824. 

Lord Beaconsfield (Disraeli) died 1881. 

Charles Darwin died 1882. 



The secret of success in life is for a man to be 
ready for his opportunity when it comes. 

— Disraeli. 



One sees, and the other does not see; one enjoys 
an unspeakable pleasure, and the other loses that 
pleasure which is as free to him as the air. . . . 
The whole outward world is the kingdom of the 
observant eye. He who enters into any part of 
that kingdom to possess it has a store of pure en- 
joyment in life which is literally inexhaustible and 
immeasurable. His eyes alone will give him a life 
worth living. — Charles W. Eliot. 



Having eyes, see ye not? — Mark 8. 18. 



My Father, help me to realize that I cannot feel 
the joy that breathes through the early morning 
unless I am with it. May I see distinctly the glory 
of to-day. Help me to be watchful and keep my 
spirit awake, that I may receive thy revelations. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 121 



APRIL TWENTIETH 
Marcus Aurelius born 121. 

Elizabeth Barton (Maid of Kent) executed 1534 
Sir Francis T. Baring born 1796. 
Alice Cary born 1820. 



Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to 
throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be 
good for something while you live and it is in your 
power. — Marcus Aurelius. 



And O, my heart, my heart, 
Be careful to go strewing in and out 
The way with good deeds, lest it come about 

That when thou shalt depart, 
No low lamenting tongue be found to say, 
The world is poorer since thou went'st away 

— Alice Cary. 

A good man prolongs his life; to be able to enjoy 
one's past life is to live twice. — Martial. 



The righteous shall be had in everlasting re- 
membrance. — Psalm 112. 6. 



Heavenly Father, thou hast made my life dear; 
forgive me if I have made dearer the things that I 
have put around it. Many days have been used 
for costly things that have faded and are laid aside. 
May I realize the meaning of days that have been 
lost. Make me more concerned for what I put in 
the days to come. Amen. 



122 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL TWENTY-FIRST 

Peter F. Abelard died 1142. 
Friedrich Frobel born 1782. 
Reginald Heber born 1783. 
James Martineau born 1805. 
Charlotte Bronte born 1816. 
Henry Shaw (Josh Billings) born 1818. 

Education should lead and guide man to clear- 
ness concerning himself and in himself, to peace 
with nature, and to unity with God. 

— Friedrich Frobel. 

When spring unlocks the flowers, to paint the 

laughing soil; 
When summer's balmy showers refresh the mower's 

toil; 

When winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and 
the flood, 

In God the earth rejoiceth still, and owns its maker 
good. 

— Reginald Heber. 

A memory without a blot or contamination must 
be an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment. 

— Charlotte Bronte. 

For ye are all sons of light, and sons of the day: 
we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 

— 1 Thessalonians 5. 5. 

Lord of light, thou art the light of my life. May I 
make thee the joy and light of my soul. Call me to 
where it is clear and high, that I may see above the 
mist. May I not weary in climbing to reach thee 
in the high places. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 123 



APRIL TWENTY-SECOND 

Henry Fielding born 1707. 
Immanuel Kant born 1724. 
Philip James Bailey born 1816. 



We live in deeds, not years : in thoughts, not breaths : 
In feelings, not in figures on a dial. 
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most 
lives 

Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. 

— Philip James Bailey. 



Men cease to interest us when we find their limi- 
tations. The only sin is limitation. As soon as you 
once come up with a man's limitations it is all over 
with him. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law 
of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer 
that forge teth but a doer that worketh, this man 
shall be blessed in his doing. — James 1. 25. 



Lord God, help me to break away from habits 
that fasten me in the ruts of life. Draw me out to 
thy broad way, where there are no limits to thy 
wonderful works, that I may expand my life. Amen. 



124 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL TWENTY-THIRD 

William Shakespeare born 1564, died 1616. 

Cervantes died 1616. 

J. M. W. Turner born 1775. 

James Buchanan, Pennsylvania, fifteenth President 

United States, born 1791. 
James Anthony Froude born 1818. 
Thomas Nelson Page born 1853. 
Edwin Markham born 1852. 



My crown is in my heart, not on my head: 
Not decked with diamonds and Indian Stones, 
Nor to be seen. My crown is called content. 
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy. 

— William Shakespeare. 

At the heart of the cyclone tearing the sky 
And flinging the clouds and the towers by 

Is a place of central calm: 
So here in the roar of mortal things, 
I have a place where my spirit sings, 

In the hollow of God's Palm. 

— Edwin Markham. 

Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him: 
Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in 
his way. 

—Psalm 37. 7. 

Almighty God, my heart beats quicker and the 
desire for thy care grows stronger when I remember 
thy promises are given for all eternity. May I be 
grateful and contented with thy love and care. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 125 



APRIL TWENTY-FOURTH 

Edmund Cartwright born 1743. 

Anthony Trollope born 1815. 

Arthur Christopher Benson born 1862. 



By religion I mean the power, whatever it be, 
which makes a man choose what is hard rather than 
what is easy; what is lofty and noble rather than 
what is mean and selfish; that puts courage into 
timorous hearts and gladness into clouded spirits. 

— Arthur C. Benson. 

For all noble things the time is long and the way 
rude. . . . For every start and struggle of im- 
patience there shall be so much attendant failure. 
. . . But the fire which Patience carries in her own 
hand is that truly stolen from heaven — unquench- 
able incense of life. — John Ruskin. 



But they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their 
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; 
they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, 
and not faint. — Isaiah 40. 31. 



My Father, I pray that I may not be indifferent 
to the call of my soul. May I not seek to serve the 
disappearing and neglect to make life worthy. Ac- 
quaint me with the permanent values of life. Make 
clear the way of strength, that I may not be misled 
by ease and carried to weakness. May my life be 
ennobled by the power of my possessions. Amen. 



126 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL TWENTY-FIFTH 

Oliver Cromwell born 1599. 

John Keble born 1792. 

Alexander Duff born 1806. 

Guglielmo Marconi born 1874. 

Mrs. Burton Harrison (Constance Cary) born 1846. 

Samuel Wesley died 1735. 



Truly God follows us with encouragements: let 
him not lose his blessing upon us! They come in 
season, and with all the advantages of heartening, 
as if God should say, "Up and be doing, and I will 
stand by you and help you!" There is nothing to 
be feared but our own sin and sloth. 

— Oliver Cromwell. 

Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear, 
It is not night if thou be near; 
O may no earthborn cloud arise 
To hide thee from thy servants' eyes. 

— John Keble. 

For Jehovah God is a sun and a shield: 
Jehovah will give grace and glory; 
No good thing will he withhold from them that walk 
uprightly. 

—Psalm 84. 11. 



My Father, may I not err in choosing thy bene- 
fits, nor fail from the neglect to use them. Make 
me appreciative of all thy gifts, and, through thy 
wisdom and power, may I find the best use for them. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 127 



APRIL TWENTY-SIXTH 

David Hume born 1711. 
Daniel Defoe died 1791. 

Charles F. Browne (Artemus Ward) born 1834. 



How strange a chequer- work of Providence is the 
life of man! and by what secret different springs are 
the affections hurried about, as different circum- 
stances present! To-day we love what to-morrow 
we hate; to-day we seek what to-morrow we shun; 
to-day we desire what to-morrow we fear; nay, even 
tremble at the apprehension of. — Daniel Defoe. 



Now don't do nothin' which isn't your Fort, for ef 
you do you'll find yourself splashin' round in the 
Kanawl, figgeratively speakin'. — Artemus Ward. 



Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same 
Spirit. And there are diversities of ministrations, 
and the same Lord. And there are diversities of 
workings, but the same God, who worketh all things 
in all. — 1 Corinthians 12. 4-6. 



Lord forbid that I should fear to change for the 
better or be so pleased with myself and the things 
which surround me that I feel no need for a higher 
life. Make me dissatisfied if I am not trying to 
grow in truth and to live in noble deeds. Amen. 



128 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Samuel Morse born 1791. 
Lajos Kossuth born 1802. 
Herbert Spencer born 1820. 

Ulysses S. Grant, Ohio, eighteenth President United 

States, born 1822. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson died 1882. 



People who are dishonest, or rash, or stupid will 
inevitably suffer the penalties of dishonesty, or rash- 
ness, or stupidity. — Herbert Spencer. 



Abide in the simple and noble regions of thy life; 
obey thy heart. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Well, then, we must cut our way out. 

— General Grant. 



Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that 
ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, 
having done all, to stand. — Ephesians 6. 13. 



Loving Father, help me to live a simple and noble 
life. Grant that I may have the blessedness that 
comes through peace, and escape the misery that 
comes from cruelty and untruth. Through my life 
may what I reap show that I have been careful in 
choosing and cultivating what I have sown. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 129 



APRIL TWENTY-EIGHTH 
Charles Cotton born 1630. 

James Monroe, Virginia, fifth President United 

States, born 1758. 
Anthony Ashley, Earl of Shaftesbury, born 1801. 

During a long life I have proved that not one 
kind word ever spoken, not one kind deed ever 
done, but sooner or later returns to bless the giver, 
and becomes a chain, binding men with golden 
bands to the throne of God. — Earl of Shaftesbury. 

There's many a time when the bitterest thing 
Is said without reason, and God knows 

The courage it takes to suffer the sting, 

By hiding the wounds that the heart shows. 

There's many a sob we bravely keep down 
For the sake of old times revered so, 

There's many a head with thorns for a crown 
Where kisses would soon make the heart glow. 

— Edwin Leibfreed. 

So shalt thou know wisdom to be unto thy soul; 
If thou hast found it, then shall there be a reward, 
And thy hope shall not be cut off. 

— Proverbs 24. 14. 

My Father, if I am to-day without happiness, 
may I go in search of it. Help me to remember that 
the will thou hast given me to overcome evil with 
good I may use to overcome misery with happiness. 
Make me careful that I may not be trapped by 
selfishness as I look for joy. May I delight in the 
sweet sensations that are felt in having considera- 
tion for others, and may I make kindness a daily 
habit. Amen. 



130 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



APRIL TWENTY-NINTH 

Michel Ruyter died 1676. 
Abbe Charles de St. Pierre died 1743. 
Matthew Vassar born 1792 
Edward Rowland Sill born 1841. 

Never yet was a springtime, 
Late though lingered the snow, 

That the sap stirred not at the whisper 
Of the south wind, sweet and low; 

Never yet was a springtime 
When the buds forgot to blow. 

Ever the wings of the summer 

Are folded under the mold; 
Life that has known no dying, 

Is Love's, to have and to hold, 
Till, sudden, the burgeoning Easter! 

The song! the green and the gold! 1 

— Margaret E. Sangster. 

In tracing the shade, I shall find out the sun. 

— .Owen Meredith. 

All chastening seemeth for the present to be not 
joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth 
peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised 
thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. 

—Hebrews 12. 11. 

Almighty God, grant that as the fulfillment of the 
green comes to the withered grass, so thy restoring 
may come to me with the glory of life that comes in 
the resurrection of the soul. I trust thee to bring 
me out of winter's seal, that I may help make the 
spring. Amen. 



1 From Easter Bells. Copyright, 1897, by Harper & Brothers. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 131 



APRIL THIRTIETH 

Chevalier de Bayard killed 1524. 
Sir John Lubbock born 1834. 
James Montgomery died 1854. 
David Livingstone died 1873. 



We scatter seeds with careless hands, 
And dream we ne'er shall see them more; 

But for a thousand years 

Their fruit appears 
In weeds that mar the land. 

— John Keble 

And there came up a sweet perfume 
From the unseen flowers below, 

Like the savor of virtuous deeds, 
Of deeds done long ago. 

— Mrs. Southey. 

Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure 
nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, 
and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was 
filled with the odor of the ointment. — John 12. 3. 



My Father, I pray that it may be mine to have 
the recollection of happy deeds, and not the memory 
of unkept promises. Help me to remember that one 
act is worth a thousand intentions, and that mem- 
ory is the storehouse that supplies old age. Make 
me careful of my memory, that it may not be 
burdened. Amen. 



132 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY 

I cannot see what flowers are at my feet, 

Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs, 
But, in the embalmed darkness, guess each sweet 

Wherewith the seasonable month endows 
The grass, the thicket, and the fruit tree wild; 

White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine; 
Fast-fading violets covered up in leaves; 
And mid-May's wildest child, 

The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, 
The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves. 

— John Keats. 

Such a starved bank of moss 

Till that May morn, 
Blue ran the flash across : 

Violets were born. 

— Robert Browning. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 133 



MAY FIRST 

Arbor Day. 

Joseph Addison born 1672. 

Arthur, Duke of Wellington, born 1769. 



If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance 
your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, 
caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian 
genius. — Joseph Addison. 



He who plants a tree, he plants love; 
Tents of coolness spreading out above 
Wayfarers, he may not live to see. 

Gifts that grow are best; 

Hands that bless are blest; 

Plant-life does the rest! 
Heaven and earth help him who plants a tree, 
And his work his own reward shall be. 

— Lucy Larcom. 

And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of 
water, 

That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, 

Whose leaf also doth not wither; 

And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

—Psalm 1. 3. 

My Creator, give me joyful eyes for joyful na- 
ture. May I be alive to the gentle influences of a 
May day which bring new experiences to all who 
may receive them : and may I serve thee by unfolding 
to others the love of truth, the love of good, and the 
love of beauty. Amen. 



134 LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY SECOND 

Leonardo da Vinci died 1519. 
Robert Hall born 1764. 
Jerome K. Jerome born 1859. 
William Henry Hudson born 1862. 



Without a false humility; 
For this is love's nobility, — 
Not to scatter bread and gold, 
Goods and raiment bought and sold; 
But to hold fast his simple sense, 
And speak the speech of innocence, 
And with hand and body and blood, 
To make his bosom-counsel good. 
He that feeds man serveth few; 
He serves all who dares be true. 

—Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Small service is true service while it lasts: 
Of humblest friends scorn not one: 

The daisy, by the shadow it casts, 

Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun. 

— William Wordsworth. 



Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; 
Yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear. 

—Job 11. 15. 



Heavenly Father, I would be thankful for the 
blessings I am inclined to forget. Give me a heart 
of gratitude, and forbid that I should hold my 
friends for material gain or selfish ends. May I 
through the truthfulness of my lips, and the honor 
of my acts, be a necessary friend. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 135 



MAY THIRD 

Niccolo Machiavelli born 1469. 
Thomas Hood died 1845. 
Jacob Riis born 1849. 



The longing for ignoble things; 

The strife for triumph more than truth; 
The hardening of the heart that brings 

Irreverence for the dreams of youth; 

All these must first be trampled down 
Beneath our feet, if we would gain 

In the bright fields of fair renown 
The right of eminent domain. 

— John Keble. 

One lesson, and only one, history may be said to 
repeat with distinctness; that the world is built 
somehow on moral foundations; that in the long 
run, it is well with the good; in the long run it is ill 
with the wicked. — James Anthony Froude. 



No soldier on service entangleth himself in the 
affairs of this life; that he may please him who en- 
rolled him as a soldier. And if also a man contend 
in the games, he is not crowned, except he have 
contended lawfully. — 2 Timothy 2. 4, 5. 



Gracious Father, may my heart be mindful of 
thee, that I may discover the truth and possess it. 
Steady me in my affections and save me from 
wandering impulses; and may I help to put wrong 
down and uplift humanity. Amen. 



136 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY FOURTH 

Frederick Edwin Church born 1826, 
Isaac Barrow died 1677. 
John James Audubon born 1780. 
Horace Mann born 1796. 
Thomas Henry Huxley born 1825. 



The chess board is the world, the pieces are the 
phenomena of the universe, the rules of the game 
we call the laws of nature. My metaphor will re- 
mind some of you of the famous picture in which 
Retzsch has depicted Satan playing chess with man 
for his soul. Substitute for the mocking fiend in 
that picture a calm, strong angel, who is playing 
"for love," as we say, and would rather lose than 
win, and I should accept it as an image of human 
life. — Thomas Henry Huxley. 



Riches and nobility fade together. O, my God! 
be thou praised for having made love for all time, 
and immortal as thyself. — George Sand. 



He hath given food unto them that fear him: 
He will ever be mindful of his covenant. 
The works of his hands are truth and justice; 
All his precepts are sure. 

—Psalm 111. 5, 7. 

Father of life, I know I cannot hold youth. I 
may have prosperity or poverty. I thank thee that 
thou hast taught me that love may be kept change- 
less through all. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 137 



MAY FIFTH 

Napoleon Bonaparte died 1821. 
Empress Eugenie born 1826. 
Bret Harte died 1902. 



As I stand by the cross, on the lone mountain's 
crest, 

Looking over the ultimate sea, 
In the gloom of the mountain a ship lies at rest, 

And one sails away from the lea; 
One spreads its white wings on the far-reaching 
track, 

With pennant and sheet flowing free; 
One hides in the shadow with sails laid aback — 
The ship that is waiting for me. 

But lo ! in the distance the clouds break away, 

The gate's glowing portals I see, 
And I hear from the outgoing ship in the bay 

The song of the sailors in glee. 
So I think of the luminous footprints that bore 

The comfort o'er dark Galilee, 
And wait for the signal to go to the shore 

To the ship that is waiting for me. 

— Bret Harte. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow 
of death, 

I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; 
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 

—Psalm 23. 4. 

Eternal God, I praise thee, that "thy love is 
broader than the measure of man's mind," and that 
through all my years I may hide myself in thee, 
trusting thee to the end. Amen. 



138 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY SIXTH 

Plato born B. C. 427. 

Robespierre born 1758. 

General Andrea Messena born 1758. 



Hard ye may be in the tumult, 

Red to your battle hilts; 
Blow give blow in tfee foray, 

Cunningly ride in the tilts. 
But tenderly, unbeguiled — 
Turn to a woman a woman's 
Heart, and a child's to a child. 

Test of the man if his worth be 
In accord with the ultimate plan 

That he be not, to his marring, 
Always and utterly man. 

That he may bring out of the tumult, 
Fetter and undefiled, 

To woman the heart of a woman — 

To children the heart of a child. 1 

— O. Henry. 

A man's concern is only whether in doing anything 
he is doing right or wrong — acting the part of a good 
man or a bad. — Plato. 

• 

A faithful man shall abound with blessings. 

—Proverbs 28. 20. 

Almighty God, I pray that I may seek sincerely 
those whom I approach with sympathy, and by my 
honor may they feel the same sincerity for me. 
Amen. 



1 Special permission Cosmopolitan Magazine, New York. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 139 



MAY SEVENTH 

Correggio born 1494. 

Robert Browning born 1812. 

Johannes Brahms born 1833. 

Lord Rosebery (Archibald Primrose) born 1847. 



So, take and use thy work: amend what flaws may 
lurk, 

What strain o' the stuff, what warpings past the 
aim! 

My times be in Thy hand ! perfect the cup as planned ! 
Let age approve of youth, and death complete the 
same! 

— Robert Browning. 

No matter how often defeated, you are born to 
victory. The reward of a thing well done is to have 
done it. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



When I hear a young man spoken of as giving 
promise of high genius, the first question I ask 
about him is always — Does he work? — John Ruskin. 



Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly 
Father is perfect. — Matthew 5. 48. 



O God, I pray that thou wilt search me, and in 
the silent moments show me myself without ob- 
struction. Breathe upon me thy awakening breath, 
that I may be revived to nobler activities. Amen. 



140 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY EIGHTH 

Rev. William Jay born 1769. 
Francois Mignet born 1796. 
Louis Gottschalk born 1829. 
John Stuart Mill died 1873. 



A profound conviction raises a man above the 
feeling of ridicule. — John Stuart Mill. 



A garden is a lonesome thing, God wot ! 

Rose plot, 

Fringed pool, 

Ferned grot — 

The veriest school 

Of peace; and yet the fool 
Contends that God is not — 
Not God! in the gardens! when the eve is cool? 

Nay but I have a sign; 

'Tis very sure God walks in mine. 

— Thomas E. Brown. 

Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee : 

Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be 

gracious unto thee: 
Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give 

thee peace. 

—Numbers 6. 24, 25, 26. 

My Father, may this be a day of usefulness. 
Make me sure of myself, that I may not spend my 
days in questioning, but accept with gratefulness 
thy love and tender care. Make me worthy to be 
called thy child. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 141 



MAY NINTH 

John Brown (Ossawattomie) born 1800. 
Johann Schiller died 1805. 
J. M. Barrie born 1860. 



Have love ! not love alone for one, 
But man as man thy brother call : 

And scatter like the circling sun 
Thy charities on all. 

— Johann Schiller. 



He spoke, and words more soft than rain 
Brought the Age of Gold again : 
His action won such reverence sweet, 
As hid all measure of the feat. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



That their hearts might be comforted, they being 
knit together in love. — Colossians 2. 2. 



Gracious Lord, I pray that I may not only be 
known to those who are my own, but may I con- 
sider all mankind. May those who need me find me 
through my gentleness, and may they be assured by 
quiet confidence and faith. Amen. 



142 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TENTH 

Rouget de ITsle born 1760. 
Jared Sparks born 1789. 
James Bryce born 1838. 
Sir Henry Stanley died 1904. 



For four months and four days I lived with David 
Livingstone in the same house, or in the same boat, 
or in the same tent, and I never found a fault in 
him. I am a man of quick temper, and often with- 
out sufficient cause, I dare say, have broken the ties 
of friendship; but with Livingstone I never had 
cause for resentment, but each day's life with him 
added to my admiration for him. 

— Sir Henry Stanley. 



In speech right gentle, yet so wise : princely of mien, 

Yet softly mannered; modest, deferent, 

And tender-hearted, though of a fearless blood. 

— Edwin Arnold. 



Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill 
cannot be hid. — Matthew 5. 14. 



Almighty God, help me to aspire, that my life 
may tend toward the ideal. May I be persuaded 
that I cannot be that which I do not possess, nor 
can I live in that which I do not know. Help me to 
put the best in what I do, that I may not feel I 
have failed, even though it may not seem to be a 
success. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 143 



MAY ELEVENTH 

Baron Mtinchhausen born 1720. 

William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, died 1778. 

Jean Leon Gerome born 1824. 



And methought that beauty and terror are only one, 
not two; 

And the world has room for love, and death, and 

thunder and dew; 
And all the sinews of hell slumber in the summer 

air; 

And the face of God is a rock, but the face of the 
rock is fair. 

Beneficent streams of tears flow at the finger of 
pain; 

And out of the cloud that smites, beneficent rivers 
of rain. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 

It is more shameful to be distrustful of our friends 
than to be deceived by them. — La Rochefoucauld. 



Thou shalt rejoice in all the good which Jehovah 
thy God hath given unto thee. 

— Deuteronomy 26. 11. 

Lord God, may I comprehend the sacredness of 
friendship. I thank thee for my friends, and for all 
the beautiful influences which they bring to my life. 
May I never hold friendship without the sincerity 
to return it. Correct my faults, and cause me to 
learn the secret of cheerful endurance, that I may 
be steadfast. Amen. 



144 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWELFTH 

Robert Fielding died 1712. 
James Sheridan Knowles born 1784. 
Dante Gabriel Rossetti born 1828. 
Jules Massenet born 1842. 



Look in my face; my name is Might-have-been; 

I am also called No-more, Too-late, Farewell; 

Unto thine ear I hold the dead sea-shell 
Cast up thy Life's foam-fretted feet between; 
Unto thine eyes the glass where that is seen 

Which had Life's form and Love's, but by my 
spell 

Is now a shaken shadow intolerable, 
Of ultimate things unuttered the frail screen. 

— Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 



Let me not pass my work at morn 

And then at eve, 
Find for what purpose I was born — 

Just as I leave. 

— M. B. S. 



We must work the works of him that sent me, 
while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can 
work. — John 9. 4. 



Lord God, I do earnestly pray that thou wilt give 
me strength to break away, if I may be trying to 
free myself from habits that mar my character. 
May I not lose courage and fall back in the old ways, 
but by faith be led where I should go. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 145 



MAY THIRTEENTH 

Carolus Linnaeus (Karl von Linne) born 1707. 
Alphonse Daudet born 1840. 
Sir Arthur Sullivan born 1842. 



I heard a voice in the darkness singing 

(That was a valiant soul I knew), 
And the joy of his song was a wild bird winging 

Swift to his mate through a sky of blue. 

And his song was of love and all its bringing 

And of certain day when the night was through; 

I raised my eyes where the hope was springing, 
Ana I think in his heaven God smiled too 
(That was a valiant soul I knew). 

— J. Stalker. 



The soul aids the body, and at certain moments 
raises it. It is the only bird which bears upward its 
own cage. — Victor Hugo. 



But desire earnestly the greater gifts. 

—1 Corinthians 12. 31. 



Gracious Lord, I rejoice that thou dost know the 
depths of my soul, and that I may call upon thee to 
supply its needs. Make me worthy that I may not 
be kept from the springs of joy where my soul may 
be refreshed, and where I may gather hope and en- 
couragement for the greater loves of life. Amen. 



146 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY FOURTEENTH 

John Dutton born 1659. 
Gabriel D. Fahrenheit born 1686. 
Robert Owen born 1771. 
Henry Grattan died 1820. 



They that wander at will where the 
Works of the Lord are revealed, 

Little guess what joy can be got 
From a cowslip out of the field. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



Move onward serenely, cast aside regret, cleanse 
and purify life, only be undismayed and hopeful, as 
you turn page after page of the revelation of God. 

— Arthur C. Benson. 



Thou wilt show me the path of life: 

In thy presence is fullness of joy; 

In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 

—Psalm 16. 11. 



My Father, I thank thee that nature reveals 
thy power as she unfolds her beauty and wonder to j 
the searching eye. Guide me that I may see in the j 
little flower the smile of welcome, the look of kind- 
ness, and the beauty of hope which it renders to all ; 
and may I learn from it thy protection in the smallest 
things of life. Amen. j 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 147 



MAY FIFTEENTH 

Ephraim Chambers died 1740. 
Florence Nightingale born 1820. 
Michael W. Balfe born 1808. 
Edmund Keane died 1833. 
Daniel O'Connell died 1847. 



Light human nature is too lightly tost 
And ruffled without cause, complaining on, 
Restless with rest, until being overthrown, 
It learneth to lie quiet. 

— Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

Was the trial sore? 
Temptation sharp? Thank God a second time! 
Why comes temptation but for a man to meet 
And master and make crouch beneath his foot, 
And so be pedestaled in triumph? Pray 
"Lead us into no such temptations, Lord!" 
Yea, but, O thou whose servants are the bold, 
Lead such temptations by the head and hair, 
Reluctant dragons, up to who dares fight 
That so he may do battle and have praise. 

— Robert Browning. 

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed 
to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift 
away from them. — Hebrews 2. 1. 



Almighty God, if I am overwhelmed by the tides 
of temptation and discouragement, let me not drift 
away to sea, but anchor and take harbor in thee. 
May I not be afraid to trust in thy protection, but 
calmly wait and watch for thy deliverance. Amen. 



148 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY SIXTEENTH 

Sir William Patty born 1623. 
Honore de Balzac born 1799. 
William H. Seward born 1801. 
Felicia Hemans died 1835. 



Favored of Heaven! O Genius! are they thine, 
When round thy brow the wreaths of glory shine; 
While rapture gazes on thy radiant way, 
'Midst the bright realms of clear mental day? 
No ! sacred joys ! 'tis yours to dwell enshrined, 
Most fondly cherished, in the purest mind. 

— Felicia Hemans. 

Genius is intensity. — Honore Balzac. 



But what if I fail of my purpose here? 
It is but to keep the nerves at strain, 

To dry one's eyes and laugh at a fall, 
And, baffled, get up and begin again — 

So the chase takes up one's life, that's all. 

— Robert Browning. 

Be urgent in season, out of season. 

—2 Timothy 4. 2. | 

My Lord, my life makes me conscious of weak- 
ness, and my memory brings regret; forgive me for 
the lost strength I neglected to develop. In thy 
compassion encourage me to be more watchful of 
my power, that I may usefully increase it, and not 
willfully deplete it. May I learn the need of con- 
stancy in well-doing. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 149 



MAY SEVENTEENTH 

Heloise died 1163. 
Matthew Parker died 1575. 
Edwin Jenner born 1749. 



The weakest among us has a gift, however seem- 
ingly trivial, which is peculiar to him, and which 
worthily used, will be a gift to his race forever. 

— John Ruskin. 

Not in entire forgetfulness, 
And not in utter nakedness, 
But trailing clouds of glory do we come 
From God who is our home. 

— William Wordsworth. 



A weak mind sinks under prosperity as well as 
under adversity. A strong and deep mind has two 
highest tides — when the moon is at full, and when 
there is no moon. — Julius Hare. 



Thou hast granted me life and lovingkindness; 
And thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. 

—Job 10. 12. 



Almighty God, I pray that I may have a true 
appreciation of the quality of life. Reveal to me 
my responsibilities and help me to make them my 
opportunities. Keep me in search of thoughts and 
deeds that will increase the delight of my soul. 
Amen. 



150 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY EIGHTEENTH 

Francis Mahony (Father Prout) died 1866. 

Mrs. Johnson (Stella) born 1735. 

John Wilson (Christopher North) born 1785. 



Longing is God's fresh heavenward will, 

With our poor earthly striving; 
We quench it, that we may be still 

Content with merely living. 

But would we learn that heart's full scope 

Which we are hourly wronging, 
Our lives must climb from hope to hope, 

And realize our longing. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

Pretexts are not wanted when one wishes a thing. 

— Goldoni. 

Friendship is for all aid and comfort through all 
the relations of life and death — for serene days and 
graceful gifts and country rambles; but also for 
rough roads, and hard fare, shipwreck, poverty, and 
persecution. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Strive to enter in by the narrow door. 

—Luke 13. 24. 

Eternal God, I pray that thou wilt graciously re- 
store my spirits if I may have settled into despond- 
ency over my disappointments. May I have the 
will to rise above them, and patiently strive for 
renewed hope. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 151 



MAY NINETEENTH 

James Bos well died 1795. 

Johann Gottlieb Fichte born 1762. 

William E. Gladstone died 1898. 



Tired! Well, what of that? 
Didst fancy life was spent on beds of ease, 
Fluttering the rose-leaves scattered by the breeze? 
Come ! rouse thee, work while it is called to-day ! 
Coward, arise — go forth upon the way ! 

Lonely! And what of that? 

Some one must be lonely; 'tis not given to all 

To feel a heart responsive rise and fall, 

To blend another life into its own; 

Work may be done in loneliness; work on. 

Dark! Well, what of that? 
Didst fondly dream the sun would never set? 
Dost fear to lose thy way? Take courage yet, 
Learn thou to walk by faith and not by sight, 
Thy steps will be guided, and guided right. 

— Unknown. 



And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due 
season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

— Galatians 6. 9. 



My Father, if thou wert far off I could not reach 
thee in time, for I falter so much and need thee so 
often. I pray that thou wilt keep so near that I 
can feel thy love and strength breathing within me. 
Amen. 



152 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWENTIETH 

Elizabeth G. Fry born 1780. 
John Stuart Mill born 1806. 
Alfred Domett born 1811. 
Rudotf H. Lotze born 1817. 
Marquis de Lafayette died 1834. 



Nature has written a letter of credit upon some 
men's faces which is honored wherever presented. 
You cannot help trusting such men; their very 
presence gives confidence. There is a "promise to 
pay" in their faces which gives confidence, and you 
prefer it to another man's indorsement. Character 
is credit. — William M. Thackeray. 

Henry Drummond has told us how in the heart of 
Africa he came across men and women who remem- 
bered the only white man they ever saw before — 
David Livingstone; and as you cross his footsteps 
in the dark continent men's faces light up as they 
speak of the kind doctor who passed there years ago. 
They could not understand him; but they felt the 
love that beat in his heart. 



Who is wise and understanding among you? let 
him show by his good life his works in meekness of 
wisdom. — James 3. 13. 

My Lord, inspire me with kind words and 
thoughtful deeds, that I may share the yearnings 
and sympathy of others. May my life show that I 
am dependable, and may none be left lonely to-day 
because of my forgetfulness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 153 



MAY TWENTY-FIRST 

Albrecht Durer born 1471. 
Fernando de Soto died 1542. 
Alexander Pope born 1688. 



Self-love but serves the virtuous mind to wake 
As the small pebble stirs the peaceful lake; 
The center moved, a circle straight succeeds, 
Another still, and still another spreads; 
Friend, parent, neighbor, first it will embrace, 
Its country next, and next, the human race. 

— Alexander Pope. 



A gentleman is one who understands and shows 
every mark of deference to the claim of self-love in 
others, and exacts it in return from them. 

— William Hazlitt. 



But he knoweth the way that I take; 

When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 

My foot hath held fast to his steps; 

His way have I kept, and turned not aside. 

—Job 23. 10. 



Lord God, teach me how secret actions make or 
destroy my life. Show me the deep lines made by 
sorrow and discontent that cannot be effaced. May 
I look toward the corrections of life and not on my 
imperfections, that my life may be a helpful in- 
fluence. Amen. 



154 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWENTY-SECOND 

Newman Hall born 1816. 
Wilhelm Richard Wagner born 1813. 
Maria Edgeworth died 1849. 
Victor Hugo died 1885. 



Who cares for the burden, the night, and the rain, 

And the long, steep, lonesome road, 
When at last through the darkness a light shines 
plain, 

When a voice calls "Hail," and a friend draws rein, 
With an arm for the stubborn load? 

For life is the chance of a friend or two 

This side of the journey's goal. 
Though the world be a desert the long night through, 
Yet the gay flowers bloom and the sky shows blue 

When a soul salutes a soul. 

— Unknown. 

In all misfortune the greatest consolation is a 
sympathizing friend. — Cervantes. 



They help every one his neighbor; and every one 
saith to his brother, Be of good courage. 

— Isaiah 41. 6. 

'Loving Father, may I lay hold upon the highest 
standards of friendship and so be qualified to be a 
friend. May those who call and lean on me feel 
secure in my support. May none ever be ashamed 
to call me friend. Grant that those whom I love 
may keep faith with me. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 155 



MAY TWENTY-THIRD 

Thomas Hood born 1798. 
Margaret Fuller Ossoli born 1810. 
Henrik Ibsen died 1896. 
Dr. John Campbell died 1861. 



Chance cannot touch me! Time cannot hush me! 

Fear, Hope, and longing, at strife, 

Sink as I rise, on, on, upward forever, 

Gathering strength, gaining breath — 

Naught can sever 

Me from the Spirit of Life. 

— Margaret Fuller. 



But evil is wrought by want of thought, as well as 
want of heart. — Thomas Hood. 



For I reckon that the sufferings of this present 
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory 
which shall be revealed to us-ward. — Romans 8. 18. 



Heavenly Father, cause the newness of life to 
continue to flow through my heart, that I may not 
be fatigued, as I struggle with discouragements. 
Release me from hopeless cares that I have made 
mine, thinking they were thine. May I trust in the 
boundless limit of thy mercy, and rejoice in the 
world of living light. Amen. 



156 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWENTY-FOURTH 

Jean Paul Marat born 1744. 
Stephen Girard born 1750. 
Sir Robert Adair born 1763. 
Queen Victoria born 1819. 
Caroline Fox born 1819. 



I see my way as birds their trackless way. 
I shall arrive! what time, what circuit first, 
I ask not : but unless God send his hail 
Or blinding fireballs, sleet, or stifling snow, 
In some time, his good time, I shall arrive: 
He guides me and the bird. 

— Robert Browning. 



To live in the presence of great truths and eternal 
laws — that is what keeps a man patient when the 
world ignores him, and calm and unspoiled when 
the world praises him. — Honore Balzac. 



But whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be 
safe. — Proverbs 29. 25. 



Lord Jehovah, all goodness, tenderness, and for- 
bearance that are in my life have come from thee. 
May I not lose them in self, but by them make 
possible happiness and endurance for others. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



157 



MAY TWENTY-FIFTH 

Ralph Waldo Emerson born 1803. 
Edward Bulwer-Lytton (George) born 1803. 
Dr. William Paley died 1805. 
William Henry Channing born 1810. 



Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? 

Loved the wild rose, and left it on the stalk? 

At rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse? 

Unarmed faced danger with a heart of trust? 

And loved so well a high behavior, 

In man or maid, that thou from speech refrained, 

Nobility more noble to repay? 

O, be my friend and teach me to be thine ! 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



What the superior man seeks is in himself; 
What the small man seeks is in others. 

— Confucius. 



Make no friendship with a man that is given to 
anger; 

And with a wrathful man thou shalt not go. 

—Proverbs 22. 24. 



Lord God, may I live for the pure and upright, 
and have the blessedness of a rejoicing heart. May 
I yearn for the secrets of nature. Grant that my 
life may not seek destruction, but tenderly find and 
protect life. Amen. 



158 LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWENTY-SIXTH 

The Venerable Bede died 735. 

Count Nicolas Ludwig Zinzendorf born 1800. 

Capel Lofft died 1821. 



Let us disengage ourselves from care about the 
passing things of time; let us soar above our worldly 
possessions. The bee does not less need its wings 
when it has gathered an abundant store, for if it 
sink in the honey, it dies. — Saint Augustine. 



Perhaps if we could penetrate nature's secrets, we 
should find that what we call needs are more essen- 
tial to the well-being of the world than the most 
precious grain or fruit. — Nathaniel Hawthorne. 



We trust the Lord in faith serene, 

A ladder he hath given; 
The lower rounds in earth are seen, 

The higher reach to heaven. 

— Thomas Brevior. 

Is not the life more than the food, and the body 
than the raiment? — Matthew 6. 25. 



Almighty God, I bless thee for the privilege of a 
great life. May I not be satisfied to rest with idle 
hands in youth and make age regretful because I 
have lived a useless life : but with a clear eye and an 
exalted mind may I choose the "durable satisfac- 
tions" that may be mine. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



159 



MAY TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Alighieri Dante born 1265. 
John Calvin died 1564. 
Julia Ward Howe born 1819. 
Noah Webster died 1843. 
John Kendrick Bangs born 1862. 

To your judgments give ye not the reins 

With too much eagerness, like him who ere 

The corn be ripe, is fain to count the grains : 

For I have seen the briar through the winter snows 

Look sharp and stiff — yet on a future day 

High on its summit bear the tender rose : 

And ship I've seen, that through the storm hath 
passed, 

Securely bounding o'er the watery way, 
At entrance of the harbor wrecked at last. 

— Dante, translated by Wright. 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the 
sea, 

With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and 
me: 

As he died to make men holy, let us die to make 
them free, 

While God is marching on. 

— Julia Ward Howe. 

Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, 

And lean not upon thine own understanding. 

— Proverbs 3. 5. 

Lord God, help me to know my ability, that I may 
not attempt with weakness that which requires 
strength to undertake; and make me stable that I 
may not relax vigilance even though victory seems 
assured. Amen, 



160 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY TWENTY-EIGHTH 

William Pitt born 1759. 
Thomas Moore born 1779. 
Louis Agassiz born 1807. 



The bird let loose in eastern skies, 

When hastening fondly home, 
Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies 

Where idle warblers roam; 
But high she shoots through air and light, 

Above all low delay, 
Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, 

Nor shadow dims her way. 

— Thomas Moore. 



Remember, the essence of religion is, a heart void 
of offense toward God and man; not subtle specula- 
tive opinions, but an active principle of faith. 

—William Pitt. 



And hope putteth not to shame; because the love 
of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts. 

— Romans 5. 5. 



God of mercy, reveal to me the hallowed life. 
May I be reminded that, while I may save and keep 
the dust from things that perish, my life, though 
unkept and undeveloped, tells in itself the value 
and need of the most watchful care. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 161 



MAY TWENTY-NINTH 

Patrick Henry born 1736. 
Joseph Fouche born 1763. 
Josephine died 1814. 
Gerald Massey born 1829. 



Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased 
at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Al- 
mighty God. I know not what course others may 
take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me 
death. — Patrick Henry. 



Though hearts brood o'er the past, our eyes 

With smiling features glisten; 
For lo! our day bursts up the skies, 

Lean out your souls and listen! 
The world is following freedom's way, 

And ripening with her sorrow; 
Take heart! Who bears the cross to-day 

Shall wear the crown to-morrow. 

— Gerald Massey. 



For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but 
of power and love and discipline. — % Timothy 1. 7. 



Lord God, may I never feel that I have a right to 
sell thy joys, nor the privilege of giving away my 
burdens. Grant that I may not forsake my prin- 
ciples, but may I keep the way clear that memory 
may find an unruffled rest. Amen. 



162 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



MAY THIRTIETH 

Decoration Day. 

Joan d'Arc burned at Rouen 1431. 
Alexander Pope died 1744. 
Voltaire died 1778. 
Alfred Austin born 1835. 

Here is the nation God has builded by our hands. 
What shall we do with it? Who stands ready to act 
again and always in the spirit of this day of reunion 
and hope and patriotic fervor? The day of our 
country's life has but broadened into morning. Do 
not put uniforms by. Put the harness of the present 
on. Lift your eyes to the great tracts of life yet to 
be conquered in the interest of righteous peace, of 
that prosperity which lies in a people's hearts and 
outlasts all wars and errors of men. 

— Woodrow Wilson. 

Cover them over with beautiful flowers : 
Deck them with garlands these brothers of ours; 
Lying so silent, by night and by day, 
Sleeping the years of their manhood away; 



Give them the laurels they lost with their life. 

—Will Carleton. 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man 
lay down his life for his friends. — John 15. 13. 

My Father, as I pause this day to think of the 
brave men and women who have given their lives 
for the sake of others, may I be thankful for them. 
May I remember that noble deeds and kind words 
are never lost, but that self may block the way to 
justice. O Father, make war to cease! and lead us 
to victories that are won through peace. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 163 



MAY THIRTY-FIRST 

Ludwig Tieck born 1773. 
Joseph Haydn died 1809. 
Walt Whitman born 1819. 



Passage, immediate passage! the blood burns in my 
veins! 

Away, O soul! hoist instantly the anchor! 
Out the hawser — haul out — shake out every sail ! 
Have we not stood here like trees in the ground long 
enough? 

Have we not groveled here long enough eating and 

drinking like mere brutes? 
Have we not darkened and dazed ourselves with 

books long enough? 
Sail forth — steer for the deep waters only, 
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou 

with me, 

For we are bound where mariner has not dared to 
go, 

And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all. 

—Walt Whitman. 

Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be 
affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy God, he it is 
that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor 
forsake thee. — Deuteronomy 31. 6. 



My Father, give me joyful courage to squarely 
face my life. Help me to know that I cannot van- 
quish life by evading duties, nor encircling myself 
with indulgences. If I may be blind to my situa- 
tion, restore my sight that I may make ready a 
worthy passage with thee. Amen. 



164 



LEAVES OF LITE 



JUNE 

There lives a glory in these sweet June days 
Such as I found not in the days gone by, 
A kindlier meaning in the unclouded sky, 

A tenderer whisper in the woodland ways; 

And I have understanding of the lays, 
The birds are singing, forasmuch as I 
Have learned how love avails to satisfy 

A man's whole heart, and fills his lips with praise. 

— Percy C. Ains worth. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 165 



JUNE FIRST 

Nicolas Poussin born 1594. 
Sir Christopher Marlowe died 1593. 
Sir David Wilkie died 1841. 
Hugo Munsterberg born 1863. 



In every act of ours, in every feeling and every 
volition and every thought, we are conscious of a 
self which expresses its aims and meanings. Every 
idea of ours points beyond itself, every volition 
binds us in decision, and every experience gets 
meaning by our attitudes. The most immediate 
task which life demands from us in the understand- 
ing of ourselves and of others is, therefore, to in- 
terpret our ideas, to draw the consequences of our 
will, to appreciate the attitudes, to measure them 
by higher standards. — Hugo Munsterberg. 



And God said, Let us make man in our image, 
after our likeness. — Genesis 1. 26. 



My Creator, I pray that I may not only have the 
desire to know life, but the assurance to live it. 
Help me to understand that my earthly possessions 
are not the measure of my life, nor my body the 
boundary of my living. May I reach for the high 
standards that are free, without limit, to all. Amen. 



166 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE SECOND 

Ethelbert baptized 597. 
John Randolph born 1773. 
Thomas Hardy born 1840. 



In battle or business, whatever the game, 
In law or in love, it is ever the same: 
In the struggle for power, or scramble for pelf, 
Let this be your motto: "Rely on yourself. 99 

— John G. Saxe. 



Labor is necessary to excellence. This is an 
eternal truth, although vanity cannot be taught to 
believe or indolence to heed it. — John Randolph. 



But let each man prove his own work, and then 
shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, 
and not of his neighbor. — Galatians 6. 4. 



Almighty God, I regret the hours of indiscretion 
and waste; through thy forgiveness may I have thy 
help over past wrongs. May I have a deeper con- 
ception of a profitable life, that I may hereafter live 
by it. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 167 



JUNE THIRD 

Sydney Smith bora 1771. 
Dr. John Gregory born 1724. 
Richard Cobden born 1804. 
Jefferson Davis born 1808. 
Norman Macleod born 1812. 



Certainly, let the board be spread and let the bed 
be dressed for the traveler; but let not the emphasis 
of hospitality lie in these things. Honor to the 
house where they are simple to the verge of hard- 
ship, so that there the intellect is awake and reads 
the law of the universe, the soul worships truth and 
love, honor and courtesy flow into all deeds. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Kind actions, and good wishes, and pure thoughts 
No mystery is here: Here is no boon 
For high — yet not for low: The smoke ascends 
To heaven as lightly from the cottage hearth 
As from the haughtiest palace. 

— William Wordsworth. 



Given to hospitality. — Romans 12. 13. 



Gracious Father, I beseech thee to give me wis- 
dom for kind thoughts and deeds. Teach me true 
hospitality, that I may be gracious in my own 
home and appreciative in the home of others. May 
I not temper my hospitality for certain reasons, but 
have a genuine welcome for all. Amen. 



168 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE FOURTH 

George III born 1738. 

Lord Edward Fitzgerald died 1798. 

General Garnet Wolseley born 1833, 



This is the gospel of labor — ring it, 

Ye bells of the kirk — 
The Lord of Love came down from above 

To live with the men who work. 
This is the rose he planted, here 

In the thorn-cursed soil; 
Heaven is blest with perfect rest, but 

The blessing of earth is toil. 

— Henry van Dyke. 



No man is born into the world whose work 
Is not born with him. There is always work 
And tools to work withal, for those who will; 
And blessed are the horny hands of toil. 

— James Russell Lowell. 



Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the 
seventh day thou shalt rest. — Exodus 23. 12. 



My Father, I pray for the love of work, and the 
desire to cultivate life. Stir me, that I may be 
ambitious. May I not stare at life in an everyday 
way and forget that others are watching for the 
surprises. Help me to be considerate and kind in 
all that I do. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 169 



JUNE FIFTH 

Socrates born B. C. 469. 
Dr. Adam Smith born 1723. 
Karl Maria von Weber died 1826. 
O. Henry died 1910. 



You think that upon the score of foreknowledge 
and divining I am infinitely inferior to the swans. 
When they perceive approaching death they sing 
more merrily than before, because of the joy they 
have in going to the God they serve. — Socrates. 

O yet we trust that somehow good 
Will be the final goal of ill, 
To pangs of nature, sins of will, 

Defects of doubt, and taints of blood; 

That nothing walks with aimless feet; 
That not one life shall be destroyed, 
Or cast as rubbish to the void, 

When God hath made the pile complete. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! 
And the children of men take refuge under the 
shadow of thy wings. 

—Psalm 36. 7. 

Eternal God, forbid that I should try to set up 
thy judgment-seat in so small a place as self, and 
attempt to render decisions for thee. My soul 
lives anew as I think of thy love, and that there is 
no place where thy mercy can be withheld from me. 
Amen. 



170 



LEAVES OP LIFE 



JUNE SIXTH 

Diego R. Velasquez born 1599. 
Pierre Corneille born 1606. 
Nathan Hale born 1755. 
Sir John Stainer born 1840. 



These stones that make the meadow brooklet 
murmur 

Are the keys on which it plays. 
O'er every shelving rock its touch grows firmer, 

Resounding notes to raise. 

If every path o'er which footsteps wander, 

Were smooth as ocean strand, 
There were no theme for gratitude and wonder 

At God's delivering hand. 

— W. E. Winks. 



We also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that 
tribulation worketh steadfastness; and steadfastness, 
appro vedness; and appro vedness, hope. 

— Romans 5. 3, 4. 



My Father, if rain may come to-day, may I 
realize its help, with the power of the sun, to in- 
crease life; and may its influence be sweet and 
wholesome to me, as I learn that sadness is tem- 
porary and will disappear with the coming of glad- 
ness. May I go search for the joy that may be 
mine to-day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 171 



JUNE SEVENTH 

Robert Bruce died 1329. 

George Bryan (Beau Brummel) born 1778. 

Rev. W. D. Conybeare born 1787. 



When the lamp is shattered 

The light in the dust lies dead — 
When the cloud is scattered 

The rainbow's glory is shed. 
When the lute is broken 

Sweet tones are remembered not; 
When the lips have spoken 

Loved accents are soon forgot. 

— Percy Bysshe Shelley. 



A slip of the rose may take root, and bring forth 
a bloom to give peace to the soul. A slip of the 
tongue may take root, and bring forth a thorn that 
will torture the soul. — M. B. S. 



Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot 
bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so 
neither can ye, except ye abide in me. — John 15. 4. 



Many of us, O Father, overlook the fragrance of 
the rose while we are being pierced by its thorn. 
Increase my faith in life and in thee, that I may 
not be dismayed over mysteries, but sincerely wait 
for deliverance. Amen. 



172 LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE EIGHTH 

Mohammed died 632. 
Thomas Rickman born 1776. 
Charles Reade born 1814. 
John Everett Millais born 1829. 



If one touch of nature makes the whole world 
kin, methinks that sweet and wonderful thing sym- 
pathy is not less powerful. What golden barriers, 
what ice of centuries, it can melt in a moment ! 

— Charles Reade. 



If I had two loaves of bread, I would sell one to 
buy white hyacinths to feed my soul. — Mohammed. 



What do you live for if it is not to make life less 
difficult for each other? — George Eliot. 



Pure religion and undefiled before our God and 
Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in 
their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from 
the world. — James 1. 27. 



My Father, help me to understand that kind 
hearts and willing hands are made possible by the 
depth and greatness of thy love. May I possess 
the spirit of forgiveness and consideration, that I 
may not hold prejudice and revenge, but help with 
sympathy and tenderness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 173 



JUNE NINTH 

George Stephenson born 1781. 
John Howard Payne born 1791. 
Richard D. Blackmore born 1825. 
Charles Dickens died 1870. 



Reflect upon your present blessings of which 
every man has many; not upon your past misfor- 
tunes, of which all have some. — Charles Dickens. 



'Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, 
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home! 
A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there, 
Which, sought through the world, is ne'er met with 
elsewhere. 

Home! home! sweet, sweet home! 
There's no place like home! 

— John Howard Payne. 

For thou shalt forget thy misery; 
Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed 
away. 

—Job 11. 16. 



Lord God, my soul fills with gratitude for the 
blessings which I have received and enjoyed. Help 
me to conform to thy will concerning my duties. 
May I not try to resist thy providence. I pray 
that thou wilt bless my daily life, and make my 
home a place to dispense kindness and cheerful- 
ness. Amen. 



174 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TENTH 

Sir Edwin Arnold born 1832. 
Henry M. Stanley born 1840. 
Edward Everett Hale died 1809. 
Robert Schumann born 1810. 

What have you done with your soul, my friend? 
Where is the ray you were wont to send, 
Glancing bright through the outer night, 
Touching with hope what was dark before, 
Glimmering on to the further shore? 

— Arthur C. Benson. 

God suffers the light to know eclipse, 

Dashes the cup from the eager lips; 

You perchance would have drunk too deep. 

— Arthur C. Benson. 



Lift where you stand. — Edward Everett Hale. 

A friend is the first person who comes in when the 
whole world has gone out. — Unknown. 

Who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we 
may be able to comfort them that are in any afflic- 
tion, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves 
are comforted of God. — 2 Corinthians 1. 4. 

Almighty God, help me to correct my mistakes, 
and to be more careful of what I take in my life. 
May I always stretch out a hand of love to inspire 
others with confidence to care more for themselves 
and more for thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 175 



JUNE ELEVENTH 

Roger Bacon died 1292. 
George Wither born 1588. 
John Constable born 1776. 



Exceeding gifts from God are not blessings, they 
are duties. They do not always increase a man's 
happiness; they always increase his responsibilities. 

— Charles Kingsley. 



Make a rule and pray for help to keep it. Once a 
day spare room for a thought that will pursue 
a strong purpose. Help in some way the progress 
of a weary soul who cannot repay you. — M. B. S. 



There is no true potency, remember, but that of 
help; nor true ambition, but ambition to save. 

— John Ruskin. 



And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and 
satisfy the afflicted soul : then shall thy light rise in 
darkness, and thine obscurity be as the noon day, 

—Isaiah 58. 10. 



Heavenly Father, when I think of how little I 
have given away my heart burns with shame, as 
I recall what thou hast given to me. May I from 
this day be more thoughtful of thy tender compas- 
sion by being less selfish with what I have. Amen, 



176 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWELFTH 

Harriet Martineau born 1802. 
Charles Kingsley born 1819. 

Dr. Thomas Arnold (Arnold of Rugby) died 1842. 
Sir Oliver Lodge born 1851. 



Do to-day's duty, fight to-day's temptation, and 
do not weaken and distract yourself by looking for- 
ward to things which you cannot see, and could not 
understand if you saw them. — Charles Kingsley. 



Genuine religion has its roots deep down in the 
heart of humanity. . . . The actions of the Deity 
make no appeal to any special sense. We are deaf 
and blind, therefore, to the imminent grandeur 
around us unless we have insight enough to appre- 
ciate the whole and to recognize the woven fabric of 
existence flowing steadily from the loom of an 
infinite progress toward perfection. 

— Sir Oliver Lodge. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 
above, coming down from the Father of lights, with 
whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is 
cast by turning. — James I. 17. 



Gracious Father, forbid that I should make thee 
regret thy gifts to me; and if I have failed to appre- 
ciate them, look upon me with pity, for I have 
cheated myself more than I have thee. Give me a 
deeper appreciation, that I may be strengthened 
day by day in the veriest duties of life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 177 



JUNE THIRTEENTH 

Dr. Thomas Young born 1773. 

General Winfield Scott born 1786. 

Dr. Thomas Arnold (Arnold of Rugby) born 1795. 

William Butler Yeats born 1865. 



Beyond all wealth, honor, or even health, is the 
attachment we form to noble souls, because to be- 
come one with the good, generous, and true is to 
become, in a measure, good, generous, and true 
ourselves. — Thomas Arnold. 



Open thy bosom, set thy wishes wide, and let in 
manhood — let in happiness; admit the boundless 
theater of thought from nothing up to God . . . 
which makes a man. — Thomas Young. 



Two are better than one, because they have a 
good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the 
one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is 
alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift 
him up. — Ecclesiastes 4. 9, 10. 



Heavenly Father, I thank thee for good friends, 
and for the delight that dwells in fellowship. Give 
me the power to apprehend love, and guard me 
against the ways to lose it. May I look to my 
friends to help me to be pure, and to help me live 
my truest life. Amen. 



178 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE FOURTEENTH 

Carlo Guidi born 1650. 

Harriet Beecher Stowe born 1812. 

Mary Carpenter died 1877. 



When you get into a tight place, and everything 
goes against you till it seems as if you couldn't hold 
on a minute longer, never give up then, for that's 
just the time and place that the tide will turn. 

— Harriet Beecher Stowe. 



I cannot do it alone, 

The waves run fast and high, 
And the fogs close chill around, 

And the light goes out in the sky; 
But I know that we two 
Shall win in the end — 
God and I. 

— Unknown. 



Let us hold fast the confession of our hope that 
it waver not. — Hebrews 10. 23. 



Almighty God, I pray that thou wilt sustain me 
when I may be enduring for a purpose, and to ac- 
complish it seems beyond my strength. Renew me 
with courage, and give me unceasing hope, and 
faith that is able to hold out to the end. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 179 



JUNE FIFTEENTH 

Thomas Randolph born 1605. 
Edward Grieg born 1843. 
Thomas Campbell died 1844. 



What is rightly done stays with us, to support 
another right beyond, or higher up; whatever is 
wrongly done vanishes; and by the blank, betrays 
what we would have built above. — John Ruskin. 



The seed ye sow another reaps, 
The wealth ye find another keeps, 
The robe ye weave another wears, 
The arms ye forge another bears. 

— Percy Bysshe Shelley. 



Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon 

thee; thou saidst, Fear not. 
O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; 

thou hast redeemed my life. 

— Lamentations 3. 57, 58. 



Lord God, reveal to me my selfishness if I am 
receiving much and giving little to satisfy life. 
May I be grateful and considerate of all those who 
labor to give me comfort and happiness. Amen. 



180 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE SIXTEENTH 

Hugh Capet succeeds to throne of father 956. 
Sir Richard Fanshawe died 1666. 
Sir John Cheke born 1514. 



When to the sessions of sweet, solemn thought 
I summon up remembrance of things past, 

I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought. 
But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, 
All losses are restored and sorrows end. 

— William Shakespeare. 



Seldom can the heart be lonely 

If it seek a lonelier still — 
Self-forgetting, seeking only 

Emptier cups of love to fill. 

— F. R. Havergal. 



The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of 
them that are taught, that I may know how to sus- 
tain with words him that is weary. — Isaiah 50. 4. 



Gracious Father, keep within me that cheer and 
courage which never has a place for weary murmur- 
ings; and with peace make the hours of solitude 
profitable as they pass. Help me to seek those who 
are in need of sympathy and encouragement, that 
I may help them to have a tranquil life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 181 



JUNE SEVENTEENTH 

Joseph Addison died 1719. 

Charles Francois Gounod born 1818. 

Sir E. C. Burne-Jones died 1898. 



He who plants a tree 

Plants a hope. 
Rootlets up through fibers blindly grope, 

Leaves unfold unto horizons free. 

So man's life must climb 

From the clods of time 

Unto heavens sublime. 
Canst thou prophesy, thou little tree, 
What the glory of the boughs shall be? 

— Lucy Larcom. 

Very early, I perceived that the object of life is to 
grow. — Margaret Fuller. 



Many a genius has been slow of growth. Oaks 
that flourish for a thousand years do not spring up 
into beauty like a reed. — George Henry Lewes. 



And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and 
in favor with God and men. — Luke 2. 52. 



Almighty God, thy power is so great I cannot 
express it; help me to comprehend the meaning of 
it, that I may feel more profoundly thy expecta- 
tions of my life. May I remember that to forget 
that life is eternal may make me to lose all it has 
grown. Amen. 



182 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE EIGHTEENTH 

Robert Stewart born 1769. 
Battle of Waterloo 1815. 
William Cobbett died 1835. 



Not he the threatening texts who deals 

Is highest 'mong the preachers, 
But he who feels the woes and weals 

Of all God's wandering creatures. 
He doth good work whose heart can find 

The spirit 'neath the letter; 
Who makes his kind of happier mind, 

Leaves wiser men and better. 

Dear Bard and Brother! let who may 

Against thy faults be railing, 
(Though far, I pray, from us be they 

That never had a failing!) 

— James Russell Lowell. 



Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place 
unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance 
belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the 
Lord. — Romans 12. 19. 



Heavenly Father, I pray that I may not be so 
occupied in expressing my judgment of others, that 
I will forget to live in thy judgment myself. May I 
have the compassion for others that I hope to re- 
ceive from thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 183 



JUNE NINETEENTH 

Magna Charta signed, Runnymede, 1215. 
Blaise Pascal born 1623. 
Charles H. Spurgeon born 1834. 



Find your niche and fill it. If it is ever so little, 
if it is only a hewer of wood or a drawer of water, 
do something in the great battle for God and truth. 

— Charles Spurgeon. 



If I do what I may in earnest, I need not mourn 
if I work no great work on earth. To help the 
growth of a thought that struggles toward the light; 
to brush with gentle hand the stain from the white 
of one snowdrop — such be my ambition. 

— George Macdonald. 



Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, 
and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto. 

— Deuteronomy 15. 10. 



Lord God, I pray that I may not through conceit 
be betrayed into slacking my work, or through 
visions of greatness lose it. Teach me how to obtain 
the secret wealth in the smallest thing; and may I 
recognize thy treasures, and fill my life with the 
finest that may be given me. Amen. 



184 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWENTIETH 

John of Lancaster born 1389. 

Dr. Adam Ferguson born 1723. 

Anna Letitia Aiken (Mrs. Barbauld) born 1743. 



If the soft hand of winning Pleasure leads 

By living waters, and through flowery meads, 

Where all is smiling, tranquil, and serene, 

Oh! teach me to elude each latent snare, 

And whisper to my sliding heart, "Beware!" 

With caution let me hear the Syren's voice, 

And doubtful, with a trembling heart rejoice. 

If friendless in a vale of tears I stray, 

Where briars wound, and thorns perplex my way, 

Still let my steady soul thy goodness see, 

And, with a strong confidence, lay hold on Thee. 

— Anna Letitia Barbauld. 



For thou, 0 God, hast proved us: 
Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 

—Psalm 66. 10. 



O Lord, teach me to select my pleasures with care, 
that I may not plunge into joyful moments that are 
irretrievable. May I indulge in the pleasures that 
bring happiness and not weariness. Grant that I 
may have the honor to protect others from harm 
and loss, as I engage in my pleasures and in my 
work. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 185 



JUNE TWENTY-FIRST 

Captain John Smith died 1631, 
Anthony Collins born 1676. 
Jacques Offenbach born 1819. 



In our eagerness to solve life we start out to trace 
its mysteries and trample God's truths as we search. 
As we return we discover the shattered treasures, 
and gladly stoop to gather up the fragments, and 
with them translate the revelations of the soul. 

— M. B. S. 



I stretch my hands out in the empty air; 

I strain my eyes into the heavy night; 
Blackness of darkness! — Father, hear my prayer; 

Grant me to see the light! 

— George Arnold. 



But when he came to himself he said, How many 
hired servants of my father's have bread enough 
and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will 
arise and go to my father. — Luke 15. 17, 18. 



Heavenly Father, I pray that as I search for the 
truth I will not be so eager to seek thy mysteries 
as I am to extend thy ministries. Grant that by 
thy love I will be guided in comprehending and 
exalting thy kingdom. May my service bring me 
wisdom as I obey thy laws. Amen. 



186 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWENTY-SECOND 

Matthew Henry died 1714. 

Karl Wilhelm von Humboldt born 1767. 

H. Rider Haggard born 1856. 



The safe and general antidote against sorrow is 
employment. Sorrow is a kind of rust in the soul, 
which every new idea contributes in its passage to 
scour away. — Dr. Johnson. 



We may be sure that one principle will hold 
throughout the whole pursuit of thoughtful happi- 
ness — the principle that the best way to secure future 
happiness is to be as happy as is rightfully possible 
to-day. To secure any desirable capacity for the 
future, near or remote, cultivate it to-day. What 
would be the use of immortality for a person who 
cannot use well half an hour? asks Emerson. 

—Charles W. Eliot. 

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the 
feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful 
heart, Be strong, fear not. — Isaiah 35. 3, 4. 



Loving Father, help me that I may realize the 
depth of thy love. If I may be discouraged over 
my failures, speak to me hopefully and lead me out 
where I may find the right way to succeed. May I 
not be kept in sorrow, but find each day the happi- 
ness that brings a thankful heart. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 187 



JUNE TWENTY-THIRD 

Mark Akenside died 1770, 
John Fill born 1625. 
Josephine born 1763. 



Could we by a wish 
Have what we will and get the future now, 
Would we wish aught done undone in the past? 
So, let him wait God's instant men call years; 
Meantime hold hard by truth and his great soul, 
Do out the duty! Through such souls alone 
God stooping shows sufficient of his light 
For us i' the dark to rise by. And I rise. 

— Robert Browning. 

Press not thy purpose on thy Lord, 

Urge not thy erring will, 
Nor dictate to the Eternal mind 

Nor doubt thy Maker's skill. 

— Lydia H. Sigourney. 

Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morn- 
ing; 

For in thee do I trust : 

Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; 
For I lift up my soul unto thee. 

—Psalm 143. 8. 

My Father, help me to see that in my portion of 
work thou hast entrusted me to help further thy 
kingdom. Correct me if I am wrong in interpreting 
thy way. May I concentrate my mind and make 
my heart and hands do the work which thou hast 
given for me to do. Amen. 



188 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWENTY-FOURTH 

Jean Baptiste Massillon born 1663. 
Alexandre Dumas born 1803. 
Henry Ward Beecher born 1813. 
General Lord Kitchener born 1850. 



All the world cries, "Where is the man who will 
save us?" Don't look so far for this man, you have 
him at hand. This man — it is you, it is I, it is each 
one of us ! How to constitute oneself a man? Noth- 
ing harder if one knows not how to will it; nothing 
easier if one wills it. — Alexandre Dumas. 



Many of our troubles are God dragging us, and 
they would end if we would stand upon our feet 
and go whither he would have us. 

— Henry Ward Beecher. 



Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and mine 
ordinances; which if a man do, he shall live in them. 

— Leviticus 18. 5. 



Gracious Lord, I pray that I may have reverence 
for that which is pure and holy, and that my soul 
may delight in the presence of the good. Help me 
to so live that I may have the memory of precious 
deeds, and that I may not have to depend on the 
service of others to supply contentment for my 
closing days. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



189 



JUNE TWENTY-FIFTH 

| William Smellie died 1795. 
Antoine Jean Gros died 1835. 
Lucy Webb Hayes died 1889. 



In every feast remember there are two guests to 
be entertained — the body and the soul; and what 
you give the body you presently lose, but what you 
give the soul remains forever. — Epictetus. 



We take pains and weary to faultlessly clothe 
the body. We persevere, and often struggle, to adorn 
the mind. As we pass through the rays of truth, 
sometimes we find, after all we have put on, we have 
left bare the soul. — M. B. S. 



For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain 
the whole world, and forfeit his life? 

—Matthew 16. 26. 



Lord God, help me to understand that thou hast 
made the principle of truth so that I cannot add to 
it, nor take from it, lest in altering it I might de- 
stroy it. May I never try to make my purpose 
cover the truth, but without fear, face the light 
where truth shines the brightest. Amen. 



190 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWENTY-SIXTH 

Archbishop Robert Leighton died 1684 
Dr. Philip Doddridge born 1702. 
George Morland born 1763. 



Why are we so glad to talk and take our turns to 
prattle, when so rarely we get back to the strong- 
hold of our silence with an unwounded conscience? 

— Thomas a Kempis. 



I have read that those who listened to Lord 
Chatham felt that there was something finer in the 
man than anything which he said. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Speech is like the cloth of Arras opened and put 
abroad, whereby the imagery doth appear in figure; 
whereas in thoughts they lie but as in packs. 

— Plutarch. 



Keep thy tongue from evil, 
And thy lips from speaking guile. 

—Psalm 34. 13. 



Tender Father, make me more watchful of the 
time that I give to useless thoughts and words, and 
save me from cutting words, which make deeper 
impressions than can be cut with sharp tools. For- 
give me for the hours that have not been profitable; 
I would I had them back, for my heart and mind 
have need of them. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 191 



JUNE TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Paul Laurence Dunbar born 1872. 
Lafcadio Hearne born 1850. 
Helen Keller born 1880. 

Of course, it was not easy at first to fly. The 
speech wings were weak and broken; nothing was 
left save the impulse to fly, but that was some- 
thing. One can never consent to creep when one 
has an impulse to soar. There are so many diffi- 
culties in the way, so many discouragements; but 
I kept on trying, knowing that perseverance and 
patience win in the end. — Helen Keller. 

De da'kest hour, dey alius say, 

Is des' befo' de dawn, 
But it's moughty ha'd a-waitm* 

Were de night goes frownin' on; 
An' it's moughty ha'd a-hopin' 

When de clouds is big and black, 
An' all de t'ings you's waited fu' 
Has failed, er gone to wrack- 
But des' keep on a joggin' ind a little bit o song. 
De moon is alius brightah w'en de night's been 
long. 

— Paul Laurence Dunbar. 

Weeping may tarry for the night, 
But joy cometh in the morning. 

—Psalm 30. 5. 

My Father, I thank thee for life and its faculties. 
May I not be deceived by gratification and miss the 
permanent satisfactions. Make me brave that I 
may be courageous in affliction, and not be dis- 
mayed over humiliations and disappointments. May 
I be kept in harmony with thy will. Amen. 



192 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Henry VIII born 1491. 

Jean Jacques Rousseau born 1712. 

John Wesley born 1703. 

Frederick William Faber born 1814. 



Workman of God! O lose not heart, 

But learn what God is like; 
And in the darkest battlefield 

Thou shalt know where to strike. 

For right is right, since God is God; 

And right the day must win; 
To doubt would be disloyalty, 

To falter would be sin. 

— F. W. Faber. 

Leisure and I have parted company. 
I look upon the world as my parish. 
The best of all is, God is with us. 
To overdo is to undo. 

■ — John Wesley. 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers 
only. — James 1. 22. 



Lord God, I pray for a desire to work. May I 
not be deceived in my convictions, and work for 
that of which I may afterward be ashamed. Lead 
me into a clear conception of right and wrong. 
Help me to see as thou dost see, that I may walk 
with confidence in thy steps. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 193 



JUNE TWENTY-NINTH 

Paul Rubens born 1577. 

Baron John De Kalb born 1721. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning died 1861. 



Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers, 

Ere the sorrow comes with years? 
They are leaning their young heads against their 
mothers, 

And they cannot stop their tears. 
The young lambs are bleating in the meadows; 

The young birds are chirping in the nests; 
The young fawns are playing with the shadows; 

The young flowers are blowing toward the west: 
But the young, young children, O my brothers! 

They are weeping bitterly. 
They are weeping in the playtime of the others, 

In the country of the free. 

— Elizabeth B. Browning. 

Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy 
daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and 
these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be de- 
voured. — Ezekiel 16. 20. 



Father of all, I pray that I may always love chil- 
dren. May I never forget that I wanted things and 
needed things when I was a child, and that the help 
and neglect which I received then told in my life. 
Make me interested in the purposes that will help 
the progress of the child to-day, and may I realize 
that the child does not need my casual charity as 
much as it needs my permanent justice. Amen. 



194 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JUNE THIRTIETH 

Alexander Brome died 1666. 
Archibald Campbell beheaded 1685. 
Sir Thomas Pope Blount died 1697. 



Be useful where thou livest, that they may 

Both want and wish thy pleasing presence still; 

Kindness, good parts, great places are the way 
To compass this. Find out men's wants and will, 

And meet them there. All worldly joys go less 

To the one joy of doing kindnesses. 

— George Herbert. 



Thrice happy he, who by some shady grove, 

Far from the clamorous world, doth live his own; 
Though solitary, who is not alone, 

But doth converse with that eternal love. 

— William Drummond. 



Seek, and ye shall find. — Matthew 7. 7. 



My Father, help me to draw from the wisdom of 
life, that my soul may grow in knowledge and 
power. May I have the quiet confidence that 
comes in trusting thee. May I help others to 
think on the uplifting things of life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 195 



JULY 

Then came hot July, boiling like to fire, 
That all his garments he had cast away; 

Upon a lion raging yet with ire 

He boldly rode, and made him to obey. 

— Edmund Spenser. 

A pleasing land of drowsyhead it was, 

Of dreams that wave before the half -shut eye; 

And of gay castles in the clouds that pass, 
For ever flushing round a summer sky. 

— James Thomson. 



196 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY FIRST 

Conite de Rochambeau born 1725. 

Gideon Welles born 1802. 

George Frederick Watts died 1904. 



There is no unbelief! 
Whoever plants a seed beneath a sod, 
And waits to see it push away the clod, 

He trusts in God. 

There is no unbelief ! 
And day by day, and night, unconsciously, 
The heart lives by that faith the hps deny — 

God knoweth why. 

— Bulwer Lytton. 



More and more I see that nothing is so necessary 
for the religious condition of the mind as absolute 
simplicity. We know what we have got to do, and 
the only thing is to ask ourselves whether we are 
doing it as well as we can. 

— George Frederick Watts. 



Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace 
with God. — Romans 5. 1. 



My Creator, I praise thee for the knowledge of 
life, and the hope of immortality. Help me to ex- 
press my belief, and to give my utmost for the 
divinest, that I may be worthy of life eternal. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 197 



JULY SECOND 

Archbishop Cranmer born 1489. r 
Christopher W. Gluck born 1714. 
Richard Henry Stoddard born 1825. 
Sir Robert Peel died 1850. 

One step more, and the race is ended; 
One word more, and the lesson's done; 
One toil more, and a long rest follows 
At set of sun. 

Who would fail, for one step withholden? 
Who would fail, for one word unsaid? 
Who would fail, for a pause too early? 
Sound sleep the dead. 

— Christina G. Rossetti. 

One who never turned his back, but marched breast 
forward, 

Never doubted clouds would break, 
Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong 

would triumph, 
Held we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, 

Sleep to wake. 

— Robert Browning. 

He that endureth to the end, the same shall be 
saved— Matthew 10. 22. 

My Father, thou hast proven the strength of thy 
promises by thy tender love and mercy through the 
darkest hours. Help me always to cling to the hope 
that thou hast provided for my soul. May I be 
trustful, and be thankful to "see so much as one 
side of a celestial idea, one side of the rainbow, and 
the sunset sky." Amen. 



198 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY THIRD 

John S. Copley born 1737. 
Henry Grattan born 1746. 
Eugene Sue died 1857. 



Not from the dangers that beset our path 
From storm or sudden death, or pain or wrath, 

We pray deliverance; 
But from the envious eye, the narrowed mind 
Of those that are the vultures of mankind 

Thy aid advance. 

Not at the strong man's righteous rage or hate, 
But at the ambushed malice laid in wait 

Thy strength arise; 
At those who ever seek to spot the fair 
White garments of a neighbor's character 

With mud of lies. 

— Theodosia P. Garrison. 1 



Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all 
guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil 
speakings. — 1 Peter 2. 1. 



My Lord, may I remember that to protect the 
character of others is to add virtue to my own. 
Grant that I may see the good and not be looking 
for the evil. Cause me to know that peace will not 
abide in deceit or revenge, but may be found in a 
happy and charitable spirit. Help me to earn thy 
peace. Amen. 



1 Special permission by Mitchell Kennerly, New York. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 199 



JULY FOURTH 

Independence Day. 
Colonel William Byrd died 1704. 
Nathaniel Hawthorne born 1804. 
Thomas Jefferson died 1826. 



By the rude bridge that arched the flood, 
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, 

Here once the embattled farmers stood, 
And fired the shot heard round the world. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, 
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust"; 

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the 
brave! 

—Francis Scott Key. 

Seek not to keep your soul perpetually in the 
unwholesome region of remorse. It was needful to 
pass through that dark valley, but it is infinitely 
dangerous to linger there too long. 

— Nathaniel Hawthorne. 

And this city shall be to me for a name of joy, 
for a praise and for a glory, before all the nations of 
the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do 
unto them. — Jeremiah 33. 9. 



Lord of justice and peace, may I not pause at the 
marked stones of the brave to learn of liberty, but 
may I look for the opportunities that I may measure 
up to because of them, and do my part to keep the 
peace and spread the blessings of our land. Amen. 



200 



LEAVES OF LITE 



JULY FIFTH 

Mrs. Sarah Siddons born 1755. 
David G. Farragut born 1801. 
George Sand born 1804. 
Cecil Rhodes born 1853. 



Nature alone can speak to our intelligence an 
imperishable language, never changing, because it 
remains within the bounds of eternal truth and of 
what is absolutely noble and beautiful. 

— George Sand. 



Say, dost thou understand the whispered token, 
The promise breathed from every leaf and flower? 

And dost thou hear the word ere it be spoken, 
And apprehend love's presence by its power? 

— Unknown. 



But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; 
And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee : 
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; 
And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 
Who knoweth not in all these, 
That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this? 

—Job 12. 7-9. 



Lord God, direct me away from self, that I may 
learn of thy wisdom, and help further thy kingdom. 
Give me patience to search for thy truths, that I 
may obtain the noblest to use for thy service. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 201 



JULY SIXTH 

John Huss burned at Constance, Baden, 1369. 
Baron Wilhelm Leibnitz born 1646. 
John Paul Jones born 1747. 
John Flaxman born 1755. 



No man likes to acknowledge that he has made 
a mistake in the choice of his profession, and every 
man worthy of the name will row long against 
wind and tide before he allows himself to cry out, 
"I'm baffled !" and submit to be floated passively 
back to land. — Charlotte Bronte. 



There is nothing so small but that we honor God 
by asking his guidance of it, or insult him by taking 
it into our hands. — John Ruskin. 



If I take the wings of the morning, 

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 

Even there shall thy hand lead me, 

And thy right hand shall hold me. 

—Psalm 139. 9, 10. 



My Father, I pray that I may have wise judgment 
and use discretion in the choice of my work. May I 
remember that only that is genuine which is re- 
ceived and used for thee. Amen. 



202 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY SEVENTH 

Alexis, son of Peter the Great, died in prison 1718. 
Thomas Blacklock died 1791. 
Richard Brinsley Sheridan died 1816. 



The surest way not to fail is to determine to 
succeed. — Richard B. Sheridan. 



I felt my hot blood a-tingling flow; 
With thrill of the fight my soul did glow; 
And when, braced and pure, 
I emerged secure 
From the strife that had tried my courage so, 
I said, ' 'Let heaven send me sun or rain, 
I'll never know flinching fear again." 

— Thomas Crawford. 



For the Lord Jehovah will help me; therefore 
have I not been confounded: therefore have I set 
my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be 
put to shame. — Isaiah 50. 7. 



Lord Jehovah, help me to learn how to be strong 
and brave, that I may not remain in fear and weak- 
ness. Help me to conquer un worthiness, and to 
overcome discouragements, that I may be spared 
the needless battles that are brought on through 
impatience and selfishness. Keep my soul in re- 
pose, that I may add to my conquering strength. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 203 



JULY EIGHTH 

Jean de La Fontaine born 1621. 
Dr. Samuel D. Gross born 1805, 
Joseph Chamberlain born 1836. 



Neither gold nor grandeur can render us happy. 

— La Fontaine. 



Spirit of God! descend upon my heart; 

Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move; 
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art, 

And make me love thee as I ought to love. 

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, 
No sudden rending of the veil of clay: 

No angel visitant, no opening skies — 
But take the dimness of my soul away. 

— George Croly. 



For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance 
of the things which he possesseth. — Luke 12. 15. 



Eternal God, help me to honor my life; and may 
I realize, whether I select good or bad, much or 
little, the harvesting is for eternity. Grant that I 
may not make my life accumulate gold and grand- 
eur, and laden it with much spending; but may I 
strive and love what thou dost love, and make my 
life worthy of my labor. Amen. 



204 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY NINTH 

Henry Hallam born 1777. 
Edmund Burke died 1797. 
Elias Howe born 1819. 



Discretion of speech is more than eloquence; and 
to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is 
more than to speak in good words or in good order. 

— Francis Bacon. 



When anyone provokes you, be assured it is 
your opinion which provokes you. Try therefore, 
in the first place, not to be hurried away with ap- 
pearance. For if you once gain time and respite, 
you will more easily command yourself. — Epictetus. 



Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned 
with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer 
each one. — Colossians 4. 6. 



My Father, help me to learn through kindness and 
tenderness the value of self-control. Help me 
in the moods of jealousy and impatience, that 
I may not cause others unhappiness by words or 
deeds. Teach me how to overcome the ways that 
keep me discontented, that I may have a brighter 
speech. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 205 



JULY TENTH 

John Calvin born 1509. 

Sir William Blackstone born 1723. 

Frederick Marryat born 1792. 



The quality of mercy is not strained; 
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven 
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; 
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes, 
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes 
The throned monarch better than his crown; 



It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; 
It is an attribute to God himself. 

— William Shakespeare. 

His gain is loss; for he that wrongs his friend 
Wrongs himself more, and ever has about 
A silent court and jury, and himself 
The prisoner at the bar, ever condemned. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any 
trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one 
in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou 
also be tempted. — Galatians 6. 1. 



My Father, help me to avoid the critical spirit 
that leans toward injustice. Grant that none may 
be made despondent waiting for my mercy; but 
through forgiveness may I inspire confidence in 
those who have made mistakes, and influence them 
to a better life. Amen. 



206 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY ELEVENTH 

Robert de Bruce born 1274. 
Jean Marmontel born 1723. 

John Quincy Adams, Massachusetts, sixth President 

United States, born 1767. 
Susan Warner (E. Wetherell) born 1819. 



A friend to chide me when I'm wrong, 

My inmost soul to see: 
And that my friendship prove as strong 

For him as his for me. 

— John Quincy Adams. 



Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make 
us do what we can: this is the service of a friend. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for 
a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crack- 
ling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the 
fool. — Ecclesiastes 7. 5, 6. 



My Father and Friend, who calleth me to check 
the progress of the wrong, make me submissive and 
eager for what is right, that I may learn and up- 
hold to others thy purposes and desires. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 207 



JULY TWELFTH 

Caius Julius Csesar born B. C. 100. 
Josiah Wedgwood born 1730. 
Alexander Hamilton killed 1804. 
Henry David Thoreau born 1817. 
Clara Louise Kellogg born 1842. 



Each reaching and aspiration is an instinct with 
which all nature consists and cooperates, and there- 
fore it is not in vain. If a man believes and expects 
great things of himself it makes no odds where you 
put him, he will be surrounded by grandeur. 

— Henry David Thoreau. 

If you have built castles in the air, your work 
need not be lost — that is where they should be: 
now put foundations under them. 

— Henry David Thoreau. 

He is like a man building a house, who digged 
and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock : 
and when a flood arose, the stream brake against 
that house, and could not shake it: because it had 
been well builded. — Luke 6. 48. 



Lord of strength, I pray that while I may lay a 
strong foundation for my life, I may remember 
that I should not delay the building by neglecting 
to complete the plans. May I look to-day and see 
if I am making my words stronger than my life. 
With thy wisdom help me to realize that the test of 
life is made with the soul. Amen. 



208 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY THIRTEENTH 

Richard Cromwell died 1712. 
Elijah Fenton died 1730. 

Jean Paul Marat killed by Charlotte Cor day 1793. 



Let each day take thought for what concerns it, 
liquidate its own affairs, and respect the day which 
is to follow, and then it shall be ready. — Amiel. 



What does your anxiety do? It does not empty 
to-morrow, brother, of its sorrow; but ah! it empties 
to-day of its strength. It does not make you escape 
the evil; it makes you unfit to cope with it if it 
comes. — Ian Maclaren. 



Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or 
what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye 
shall put on. — Matthew 6. 25. 



My Father, save me from the habit of borrowing. 
So often I borrow trouble and cannot use it, when 
the peace that I possess is all that I need. Help me, 
that I may not miss the glory of to-day, by antici- 
pating the uncertainty of to-morrow; but may I 
discern my place and have delight in every day. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 209 



JULY FOURTEENTH 
Bastille destroyed 1789. 
Jane Baillie Welch Carlyle born 1801. 
Owen Wister born 1860. 

Sail fast, sail fast, 

Ark of my hopes, Ark of my dreams; 
Sweep lordly o'er the drowned Past, 
Fly glittering through the sun's strange beams; 
Sail fast, sail fast. 

Breath of new buds from off some drying lea, 
With news about the Future scent the sea; 
My brain is beating like the heart of Haste. 
I'll loose me a bird upon this Present waste; 

Go, trembling song, 
And stay not long; O, stay not long; 
Thou art only a gray and sober dove, 
But thine eye is faith and thy wing is love. 

— Sidney Lanier. 

God speed thee, pretty bird; may thy small nest, 
With little ones all in good time be blest. 

I love thee much; 
For well thou managest that life of thine, 
Well I ! — O ask not what I do with mine ! 

Would I were such! 

— Jane Welch Carlyle. 

Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow 
not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; 
and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not 
ye of much more value than they? — Matthew 6. 26. 

My Father, may I start this day with more faith 
in myself and greater love for thy world. May my 
soul be awakened to the highest and be ready for 
the joys of to-day. Amen. 



210 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY FIFTEENTH 

Inigo Jones born 1573. 
Rembrandt born 1607. 
Henry Edward Manning born 1808. 
William Winter born 1836. 



His was the heart that overmuch 
In human goodness puts its trust, 

And his the keen, satiric touch 
That shrivels falsehood into dust. 

Fierce for the right, he bore his part 
In strife with many a valiant foe; 

But laughter winged his polished dart, 
And kindness tempered every blow. 

— William Winter. 

A wise man will so act that whatever he does 
may rather seem voluntary and of his own free will 
than done by compulsion, however much he may be 
compelled by necessity. — Machiavelli. 



Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than 
that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is 
his portion: for who shall bring him back to see 
what shall be after him? — Ecclesiastes 3. 22. 



Lord God, may I not forget that it is in the light, 
and not the darkness, that my work is revealed. I 
beseech thee to pour in thy light as I plan my life, 
and open my heart and mind for the reception of 
thy truth. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 211 



JULY SIXTEENTH 

Andrea del Sarto born 1486. 

Sir Joshua Reynolds born 1723. 

Margaret Fuller Ossoli perished at sea 1850. 



Reverence the highest, have patience with the 
lowest. Let this day's performance of the meanest 
duty be thy religion. Are the stars too distant? 
Pick up the pebble that lies at thy feet and from it 
learn all. — Margaret Fuller. 



The situation that has not its Duty, its Ideal, was 
never yet occupied by man. Yet, here is this miser- 
able, despicable Actual, wherein thou standest — here 
or nowhere is thy Ideal! Work it out therefrom! 

— Thomas Carlyle. 



And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of 
these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the 
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall 
in no wise lose his reward. — Matthew 10. 42. 



Great God, may I begin this day bearing in mind 
that the things which I think and do are my life. 
I pray that thou wilt keep me from making great 
efforts for that which is valueless, and thus waste 
my life. May I watch my pride and indolence that 
they may not cause me to lose the best. Amen. 



212 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY SEVENTEENTH 

Dr. Isaac Watts born 1674. 
Charlotte Corday guillotined 1793. 
Paul Delaroche born 1797. 
J. A. McNeil Whistler died 1903. 



So frail is the youth and beauty of men, 

Though they bloom and look gay like the rose; 

But all our fond cares to preserve them is vain, 
Time kills them as fast as he goes. 

Then I'll not be proud of my youth nor my beauty, 

Since both of them wither and fade; 
But gain a good name by well doing my duty; 

For this will scent like the rose when I'm dead. 

— Isaac Watts. 

Onward, onward may we press 

Through the path of duty; 
Virtue is true happiness, 

Excellence true beauty; 
Minds are of supernal birth, 
Let us make a heaven of earth. 

— James Montgomery. 

All things therefore whatsoever ye would that 
men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto 
them— Matthew 7. 12. 



My Lord and my strength, I pray that I may 
possess that expectancy which comes in joyous 
hope and have the endurance that is controlled by 
courage and energy. Grant in the future that I 
may be less concerned about my living and more 
anxious for what I make of my life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 213 



JULY EIGHTEENTH 

William Makepeace Thackeray born 1811. 

Jane Austen died 1817. 

Jean Antoine Watteau died 1721. 



Learn to admire rightly: the great pleasure of 
life is that. Note what great men admired; they 
admired great things; narrow spirits admire basely 
and worship meanly. — W. M. Thackeray. 



Our thoughts are often more than we are, just as 
they are often better than we are. And God sees us 
as we are altogether, and not in separate feelings or 
actions, as our fellow men see us. We are always 
doing each other injustice, and thinking better or 
worse of each other than we deserve, because we 
only hear separate feelings or actions. We don't 
see each other's whole nature. — George Eliot. 



The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; 
and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the 
rose. — Isaiah 35. 1. 



Eternal God, may I become more like thee. Give 
me the desire to associate myself with people and 
places where the divine spirit is supreme. May my 
soul breathe in the influence of all that is good and 
true; and may I use my life for thy honor and 
praise. Amen. 



214 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY NINETEENTH 

John Martin born 1789. 
Samuel Colt born 1814. 
Charles Victor Cherbuliez born 1829. 



In love, if love be love, if love be ours, 
Faith and unfaith can ne'er be equal powers: 
Unfaith in aught is want of faith in all. 

It is the little rift within the lute 
That by and by will make the music mute, 
And ever widening slowly silence all. 
The little rift within the lover's lute,1 
Or little pitted speck in garner'd fruit, 
That rotting inward slowly molders all. 

It is not worth the keeping: let it go: 
But shall it? Answer, darling, answer no. 
And trust me not at all or all in all. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



Take us the foxes, the little foxes, 

That spoil the vineyards; 

For our vineyards are in blossom. 

— Song of Solomon 2. 15. 

Loving Father, help me to put away the distrac- 
tions and cares that make me discontented. Grant 
that I may not set myself in "gilded pride" and 
keep out the precious things of life. Help me to 
abandon doubt and suspicion, and keep the faith 
that is happy to believe and willing to forgive. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 215 



JULY TWENTIETH 

Petrarch born 1304. 

Thomas Lovell Beddoes born 1803. 

John Sterling born 1806. 

Jean Ingelow died 1897. 

Let thy day be to the night 
A letter of good tidings ! Let thy praise 
Go up as birds go up — that when they awake, 

Shake off the dew and soar. 

— Jean Ingelow. 

I, and the bird, 

And the wind together, 
Sang a supplication 

In the winter weather. 

The bird sang for sunshine, 
And the trees for winter fruit, 

And for love in the spring time 
When the thickets shoot. 

And I sang for patience 

When the teardrops start; 
Clean hands and clear eyes, 

And a faithful heart. 

— Arthur C. Benson. 

Unto thee, O Jehovah, do I lift up my soul. 

— Psalm 25. 1. 

Lord God, if I am discouraged this morning, may 
I pause for thine encouragement. Grant that the 
fear of the night may make no decline in my morn, 
but that "into the future I may fuse the past," and 
use what is clearest for to-day. Amen. 



216 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY TWENTY-FIRST 

Matthew Pry or born 1664. 

William Lord Russell beheaded 1683. 

Robert Burns died 1796. 



Our heaven must be within ourselves, 
Our home and heaven the work of faith 
And thro' this race of life which shelves 

Downward to death. 
While over all a dome must spread, 
And love shall be that dome above; 
And deep foundations must be laid, 

And these are love. 

— Christina Rossetti. 



If happiness has not her seat 

And center in the breast, 
We may be wise or rich or great, 

But never can be blest. 

— Robert Burns. 



Keep thy heart with all diligence; 
For out of it are the issues of life. 

— Proverbs 4. 23. 



My Father, if I choose to be unhappy and mis- 
erable, may I not be to myself and friends as "a 
harp with one string." Help me to free myself from 
thinking and anticipating things that keep me from 
the pleasure that I might receive and give. May I 
have more trust in my friends and in thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 217 



JULY TWENTY-SECOND 

Sir John Graham killed 1298. 
Pilgrims started for America 1620. 
Earl of Shaftesbury (Anthony Ashley Cooper) born 
1621. 



How comes it to pass, then, that we appear such 
cowards in reasoning, and are so afraid to stand the 
test of ridicule? — Earl of Shaftesbury. 



He that of such a height hath built his mind, 
And reared the dwelling of his thoughts so strong, 
As neither fear nor hope can shake the frame 
Of his resolved powers; nor all the wind 
Of vanity or malice pierce to wrong 
His settled peace, or to disturb the same: 
What a fair seat hath he, from whence he may 
The boundless wastes and wilds of man survey? 

— Samuel Daniel. 



Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind 
is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. 

—Isaiah 26. 3. 



O Lord, it is not that I am ashamed to ask thee 
for the truth that I do not more diligently seek it, 
but it is because I fear the sacrifice that may follow 
in obtaining it. I would that I could understand 
that thy strength is given in the sacrifice. Make 
me braver as I seek to live in the truth. Amen. 



218 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY TWENTY-THIRD 

Richard Gibson died 1690. 
Charlotte Cushrnan born 1816. 
Coventry Patmore born 1823. 



I do not ask, 0 Lord, that life may be 

A pleasant road; 
I do not ask that thou would'st take from me 

Aught of its load. 

For one thing only, Lord, dear Lord, I plead : 

Lead me aright — 
Though strength should falter, and though heart 
should bleed — 

Through peace to light. 

— Adelaide A. Procter. 

0, why and whither? — God knows all, 

I only know that he is good, 
And that whatever may befall 

Or here or there, must be the best that could. 

— John G. Whittier. 



Lead me, O Jehovah, in thy righteousness because 

of mine enemies; 
Make thy way straight before my face. 

— Psalm 5. 8. 

Loving Father, may I never fail to ask for thy 
guidance, for thou hast promised to lead me to the 
cool springs while I pass through the desert places. 
Help me to put myself in thy keeping and say, 4 'Thy 
will be done." Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 219 



JULY TWENTY-FOURTH 

Rev. John Newton born 1725. 
John P. Curran born 1750. 
J. G. Holland born 1819. 



As the winged arrow flies 

Speedily the mark to find; 
As the lightning from the skies 

Darts and leaves no trace behind; 
Swiftly thus our fleeting days 

Bear us down life's rapid stream; 
Upward, Lord, our spirits raise; 

All below is but a dream. 

— John Newton. 



O gentlemen! the time is short; 

To spend that shortness basely were too long, 

If life did ride upon a dial's point, 

Still ending at the arrival of an hour. 

— William Shakespeare. 



Jehovah, make me to know mine end, 
And the measure of my days, what it is; 
Let me know how frail I am. 

—Psalm 39. 4. 



Lord, forbid that I should overcast my life with 
intentions, and neglect to put in the deeds. May I 
not be satisfied to spend my days in being merely 
occupied, but live to learn and work. May I not 
be dismayed over what I might have been, but with 
all my might do what I can now. Amen. 



220 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY TWENTY-FIFTH 

Thomas a Kempis died 1471. 
Simon Bolivar born 1783. 
Arthur James Balfour born 1848. 



Blessed indeed are those ears which listen not 
after the voice which is sounding without, but after 
the truth teaching within. — Thomas a Kempis. 



How joyed my heart in the rich melodies 
That overhead and round me did arise! 
The moving leaves — the water's gentle flow — 
Delicious music hung on every bough. 
Then said I in my heart, "If that the Lord 
Such lively music on the earth accord; 
If to weak, sinful man such sounds are given, 
O! what must be the melody of heaven!" 

— Izaak Walton. 



But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, 
and triest my heart toward thee. — Jeremiah 12. 3. 



Loving Father, thou hast made it needful for me 
to know that the songs which are sung by divine 
love are rarely heard by cruel hearts. Grant that 
my soul may chord with the sweetest music that 
vibrates in the beauty and harmony of life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 221 



JULY TWENTY-SIXTH 

Charles Emmanuel died 1630. 
John Wilmot died 1680. 
George Clinton born 1739. 



Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened, 
but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own 
private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm. 

—Robert L. Stevenson. 



I have learned, as days have passed me, 

Fretting never lifts the load; 
And worry, much or little, 

Never smooths an irksome road; 
For do you know that somehow, always, 

Doors are opened, ways are made; 
When we work and live in patience 

Under all the cross that's laid. 

— Unknown. 



But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, 
And shall be quiet without fear of evil. 

—Proverbs 1. 33. 



Merciful and just God, I pray that I may regulate 
my life by thy standards and conform my life to thy 
laws, that thy goodness and mercy may not be 
wasted on me. Help me to bear in mind, that will- 
ingness is the power that starts the hands to work. 
May I have thy presence while I wait in quietness, 
that I may be helped through the anxious moments. 
Amen. 



222 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Thomas Campbell born 1777. 
Alexandre Dumas-fils born 1824. 
Dr. John Dalton died 1844. 



What's hallowed ground? 'Tis what gives birth 
To sacred thoughts in souls of worth! — 

Peace! Independence! Truth! go forth 
Earth's compass round; 

And your high-priesthood shall make earth 
All hallowed ground. 

— Thomas Campbell. 



Remember the week day to keep it holy. 

—Elbert Hubbard. 



The meaning of life comes to us mostly in great 
revealing flashes and intense emotions. 

— Dean Farrar. 



To the pure all things are pure. — Titus 1. 15. 



Gracious Father, may I not feel that it is neces- 
sary to wait for certain days and ceremonies to 
prepare to worship thee, while at every moment 
thy love is pleading for me. May I through the 
busiest hours and the most perplexing moments 
serve thee in reverence and obedience, and ever 
give praise to thy holy name. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 223 



JULY TWENTY-EIGHTH 

John Sebastian Bach died 1750. 
Robespierre executed 1794. 
Jean Baptiste Corot born 1796. 



O Light that followest all my way, 

I yield my flickering torch to thee; 
My heart restores its borrowed ray, 
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day 
May brighter, fairer be. 

— George Matheson. 



Follow your Star that lights a desert pathway, yours 
or mine, 

Forward, till you learn the highest Human Nature 
is divine. 

Follow Light and do the Right — for man can half 

control his doom — 
Till you see the deathless Angel seated in the vacant 

Tomb. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



My soul waiteth for the Lord, 

More than watchmen wait for the morning; 

Yea, more than watchmen for the morning. 

—Psalm 130. 6. 



Almighty God, help me to kindle my life by the 
shining light of thy power and love, that I may be 
an ambassador for thee. Amen. 



224 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY TWENTY-NINTH 

Andrew Marvell died 1678. 
William Wilberforce died 1833. 
Dr. Thomas Dick died 1857. 



I wrestle not with rage 

While fury's flame doth burn; 

It is vain to stop the stream 
Until the tide doth turn. 

But when the flame is out 

And ebbing wrath doth end 
I turn a late enraged foe 

Into a quiet friend. 

— Robert Southwell. 

If I can lend 
A strong hand to the fallen, or defend 
The right against a single envious strain, 

My life though bare 
Perhaps of much that seemeth dear and fair 
To us on earth, will not have been in vain. 

— Unknown. 

A friend loveth at all times; 

And a brother is born for adversity. 

— Proverbs 17. 17. 

Gracious Father of us all, if I may have cause to 
be provoked to-day, help me to rise above my angry 
passions, and not from weakness plunge into that 
for which I may be sorry. Make me self-forgetful, 
that I may be willing to make peace with those 
whom I may have displeased. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 225 



JULY THIRTIETH 

Samuel Rogers born 1763. 

Thomas Gray died 1771. 

W. T. Adams (Oliver Optic) born 1822. 

Prince Bismarck died 1898. 

Sit down, sad soul, and count 

The moments flying; 
Come, tell the sweet amount 

That's lost by sighing! 
How many smiles? — a score? 
Then laugh, and count no more; 

For day is dying. 

Lie down sad soul, and sleep, 

And no more measure 
The flight of time, nor weep 

The loss of leisure; 
But here by this lone stream, 
Lie down with us, and dream 

Of starry treasure. 

-Bryan Waller Procter. 

The only thing grief has taught me is to know how 
shallow it is. Grief will not carry you one step into 
real nature; grief can teach me nothing. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Leave off, ye simple ones, and live; 
And walk in the way of understanding. 

— Proverbs 9. 6. 

God of love, may I come quickly to thee, when I 
am in need of protection and sympathy. Guard me 
against sorrow that is drawn from the imagination. 
May I not allow grief to drag me into misery, but 
with strength and courage may I find happiness in 
thy daily will. Amen. 



226 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



JULY THIRTY-FIRST 

John Conybeare died 1775. 
John Ericsson born 1803. 
Paul B. Du Chaillu born 1835. 
Phoebe Cary died 1871. 



Be wise to-day; 'tis madness to defer; 
Next day the fatal precedent will plead; 
Thus on, till wisdom is pushed out of life. 
Procrastination is the thief of time; 
Year after year it steals, till all are fled, 
And to the mercies of a moment leaves 
The vast concerns of an eternal scene. 

— Dr. Edward Young. 

O, my friend, rise up and follow 
Where the hand of God shall lead; 

He has brought thee through affliction, 
But to fit thee for his need. 

— Mary Howitt. 

For he is our God, 

And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep 

of his hand. 
To-day, 0 that ye would hear his voice! 
Harden not your heart. 

—Psalm 95. 7, 8. 

Lord God, I come to thee for help, that I may 
make more of my life. Steady me, that I may know 
its value without wavering, and the loss it sustains 
from wasted days. I pray that I may live more in 
thy commandments, and with my work accept the 
joy of thy love. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



AUGUST 

Flame-like, the long midday, 
With not so much of sweet air as hath stirred 

The down upon the spray, 

Where nests the panting bird, 
Dozing away the hot and tedious noon, 
With fitful twitter, sadly out of tune. 

Pleasantly comest thou, 
Dew of the evening, to the crisped-up grass; 

And the curled corn-blades bow, 

As the light breezes pass, 
That their parched lips may feel thee, and expand, 
Thou sweet reviver of the fevered land. 

So, to the thirsting soul, 
Cometh the dew of the Almighty's love; 

And the scathed heart, made whole, 

Turneth in joy above, 
To where the spirit freely may expand, 
And rove, untrammeled, in that "better land." 

— William D. Gallagher. 



228 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST FIRST 

Andrew Melville born 1545. 
Richard Henry Dana, Jr., born 1815. 
Maria Mitchell born 1818. 



Am I wrong to be always so happy? This world is 
full of grief; 

Yet there is laughter of sunshine, to see the crisp 

green on the leaf, 
Daylight is ringing with song-birds, and brooklets 

are crooning at night; 
And why should I make a shadow when God makes 

all so bright? 

Earth may be wicked and weary, yet cannot I help 
being glad! 

There is sunshine without and within me, and how 

should I mope or be sad? 
God would not flood me with blessings, meaning me 

only to pine 

Amid all the bounties and beauties he pours upon 

me and mine; 
Therefore I will be grateful, and therefore will I 

rejoice; 

My heart is singing within me; sing on, 0 heart and 
voice. 

—Walter C. Smith. 
Rejoice always. — 1 Thessalonians 5. 16. 

Gracious Father, my soul floods with joy for the 
blessings of life. May it be my privilege to be 
happy in them. Help me not to ask thee for any- 
thing which will cause loss to another; may I not 
delight in a lonely view, but as I see thy glory 
bring others to the vision also. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 229 



AUGUST SECOND 

Thomas Gainsborough died 1788. 
Elisha Gray born 1835. 
Marion Crawford born 1854. 
William Watson born 1859. 

The Holy Supper is kept, indeed, 
In whatso we share with another's need; 
Not what we give, but what we share, 
For the gift without the giver is bare; 
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three, 
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

And when o'er storm and jar I climb, 

Beyond life's atmosphere, 
I shall behold the lord of time 

And space — of world and year. 

0 vain, far quest! not thus my heart 
Shall ever find its goal ! 

1 turn me home — and there thou art, 
My Father, in my soul. 

— George Macdonald. 

That they should seek God, if haply they might 
feel after him and find him, though he is not far 
from each one of us; for in him we live, and move, 
and have our being. — Acts 17. 27, 28. 

O Lord, my gracious Father, may I not be so 
eager for more, that I feel I have nothing to spare. 
Help me to realize that if I may be on the mountain- 
top, or at the level of the sea, thy spirit may dwell 
in my soul. May I rejoice that I can always receive 
and share thy grace and love. Amen. 



230 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST THIRD 

John Henley born 1692. 

Henry Cuyler Bunner born 1855. 

Eugene Sue died 1857. 



Set out in the very morning of your lives with a 
frank and manly determination to look simply for 
what is right and true in all things. . . . This is the 
only way to know God's will and do it. You may 
not find it at once, but you have set your face in the 
true direction to find it. — Jeremy Taylor. 



The important thing in life is to have a great 
aim, and to possess the aptitude and perseverance 
to attain it. — Goethe. 



Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 
That seek him with the whole heart. 

—Psalm 119. 2. 



Lord God, forbid that I should lose the oppor- 
tunities of making my life by waiting for sudden 
developments. Cause me to notice that the tree 
that bears fruit must first grow the blossom before 
it may be perfected by the sun: whether thou hast 
made me greater or less, may I be ashamed to live 
in untruth and wait in idleness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 231 



AUGUST FOURTH 

Percy Bysshe Shelley born 1792 
Edward Irving born 1792. 
Walter H. Pater born 1839. 



We look before and after, 

And pine for what is not; 
Our sincerest laughter 

With some pain is fraught; 
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest 
thought. 

Yet if we could scorn 

Hate and pride and fear, 
If we were things born 
Not to shed a tear, 
I know not how thy joy we ever could come near. 

— Percy Bysshe Shelley. 



It becomes no man to nurse despair, 
But in the teeth of clenched antagonisms 
To follow up the worthiest till he die. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



He suffered no man to do them wrong; 
Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes. 

—1 Chronicles 16. 21. 

My Father, I bless thee for thy patience and 
forbearance. I pray that thou wilt forgive me for 
all the sorrow that I have made from rebellion and 
despair, and with thy forgiveness may I receive 
patience and cheerful courage. Amen. 



232 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST FIFTH 

John Eliot born 1604. 

John, Lord Wrottesley, born 1798. 

Richard Lord Howe died 1799. 



To live within a cave — it is most good; 

But if God made a day, 

And some one come, and say, 
"Lo! I have gathered faggots in the wood!" 

E'en let him stay, 
And light a fire, and fan a temporal mood! 
So sit till morning! when the light is grown 

That he the path can read, 

Then bid the man Godspeed! 
His morning is not thine: yet must thou own 

Those ashes on the stone. 

They have a cheerful warmth. 

— Thomas Edward Brown. 

It is given to us sometimes, even in our everyday 
life, to witness the saving influence of a noble na- 
ture, the divine efficacy of rescue that may lie in a 
self-subduing act of fellowship. — George Eliot. 



And the King shall answer and say unto them, 
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto 
one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it 
unto me. — Matthew 25. 40. 



Father of mankind, may I not be a barrier to the 
discouraged, but help them in the ways of encour- 
agement. May I not allow pride and prejudice to 
keep me from acts of love and deeds of kindness, 
but may I be worthy of thy trust. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 233 



AUGUST SIXTH 

Ben Jonson died 1637. 
Francis Fenelon born 1651. 
Daniel O'Connell born 1775. 
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, born 1809. 



O well for him whose will is strong ! 

He suffers, but he will not suffer long; 
He suffers, but he cannot suffer wrong; 

For him nor moves the loud world's random mock, 
Not all Calamity's hugest waves confound, 

Who seems a promontory rock, 
That compassed round with turbulent sound, 

In middle ocean meets the surging shock, 
Tempest-buffeted, citadel-crowned. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



Grandeur of character lies in force of soul — that 
is, in the force of thought, moral principle, and 
love; and this may be found in the humblest con- 
dition of life. — William Ellery Channing. 



So then, brethren, stand fast. 

— 2 Thessalonians 2. 15. 



Eternal God, help me that I may not be deceived 
by my surroundings as I seek to have life abun- 
dantly. Instruct me that it is by the way of char- 
acter that I must attain the laws of growth, and 
learn reverence for the spirit of divine life. Amen. 



234 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST SEVENTH 

Battle of Thermopylae B. C. 480. 
Frederick William (Dean) Farrar born 1831. 
Alexander M. Bell died 1905. 



Although a friend may remain faithful in misfor- 
tune, yet none but the very best and loftiest will 
remain faithful to us after our errors and our sins. 

— Dean Farrar. 



Friendship is like a debt of honor: the moment it 
is talked of it loses its real name, and assumes the 
more ungrateful form of obligation. From hence we 
find that those who regularly undertake to cultivate 
friendship find ingratitude generally repays their 
endeavors. — Oliver Goldsmith. 



For even in their wickedness shall my prayer 
continue. — Psalm 141. 5. 



Lord God, may I ever continue to be thankful 
for the times thou hast helped me, when I have 
asked for thy compassion; may I recall the joy in 
which I received it, when it may be mine to have 
compassion and extend a helping hand to others. 
I pray that I may place my life where it will be 
stronger than adversity and controlled by sincerity 
and love. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 235 



AUGUST EIGHTH 

Charles A. Dana born 1819. 
Laurence Hutton born 1843. 
Cecile Chaminade born 1861. 



Lo! all the glory gone! 

God's masterpiece undone! 
The last created and the first to fall; 
The noblest, frailest, godliest of all. 

Child of the humble sod, 
Wed with the breath of God, 
Descend ! for with the lowest thou must lie — 
Arise! thou hast inherited the sky. 

—John B. Tabb. 

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest 
aspirations; I cannot reach them, but I can look up 
and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to 
follow where they lead. — Louisa M. Alcott. 



I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: 
From whence shall my help come? 

—Psalm 121. 1. 

Heavenly Father, may I see as I raise my eyes to 
the mountains that without the deep shadows there 
would be no vision of the high-light, and still higher 
may I see that without the sun there would be no 
color to encircle the rainbow. And beyond, O 
Father, may I believe that without the shadow of 
the cross we could not have the glory of the resur- 
rection. May I keep the vision clear. Amen. 



236 LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST NINTH 

Izaak Walton born 1593. 
John Dry den born 1631. 
Francis Scott Key born 1780. 
Joseph Jacques Tissot died 1902. 



All habits gather, by unseen degrees, 
Brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas. 

— John Dry den. 

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first 
beam, 

In full glory reflected now shines on the stream; 
'Tis the star-spangled banner; O yet may it wave 
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ! 

— Francis Scott Key. 

Do not be troubled because you have not great 
virtues. God made a million spears of grass where 
he made one tree. . . . Only have enough of little 
virtues and common fidelities, and you need not 
mourn because you are neither a hero nor a saint. 

— Henry Ward Beecher. 

The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah 
Is riches, and honor, and life. 

— Proverbs 22. 4. 

Lord God, who keepest truth to generations, and 
who through love and wisdom hath gathered us into 
nations, forgive me for what I have done that is 
wrong, and for what I have neglected that was 
right. May I give greater loyalty to my country 
and to thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 237 



AUGUST TENTH 

Founding of Greenwich Observatory 1675. 
Sir Charles Napier born 1782. 
George Park Fisher born 1827. 



No one can ask honestly or hopefully to be de- 
livered from temptation unless he has himself hon- 
estly and firmly determined to do the best he can 
to keep out of it. — John Ruskin. 



Men at some time are masters of their fates: 
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, 
But in ourselves, that we are underlings. 

— William Shakespeare, 

The greatest punishment one can have is to dis- 
cover, not how hard, but how low he has fallen. 

— M. B. S. 



O Timothy, guard that which is committed unto 
thee, turning away from the profane babblings and 
oppositions of the knowledge which is falsely so- 
called —1 Timothy 6. 20. 



Almighty God, through thy mercies may I recog- 
nize my faults, and correct any evil that is in me. 
Make me strong, that I may not yield to tempta- 
tion. May I have regard for thy will and be pre- 
pared to take thy messages as they are flashed to the 
soul. Amen. 



238 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST ELEVENTH 

Jean Victor Moreau born 1761. 
Octave Feuillet born 1821. 
Signor Crispi died 1901. 



Heaven overreaches you and me, 
And all earth's gardens and her graves. 
Look up with me, until we see 
The day break and the shadows flee. 
What though to-night wrecks you and me 
If so to-morrow saves? 

— Christina G. Rossetti. 



The essence of joy lies in the doing rather than in 
the result of the doing. There is a lifelong and 
solid satisfaction in any productive labor, manual 
or mental, which is not pushed beyond the limit of 
strength. — Charles W. Eliot. 



Show me thy ways, O Jehovah; 

Teach me thy paths. 

Guide me in thy truths, and teach me. 

—Psalm 25. 4, 5. 



My Father, keep me where my eyes may look 
expectantly toward the dawn, through the dark- 
ness. Take away everything that comes between 
me and the brightness of the morning. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 239 



AUGUST TWELFTH 

Robert Southey born 1774. 
Francis Horner born 1778. 
Edith Thomas born 1854. 
Katherine Lee Bates born 1859. 



Our restlessness in this world seems to indicate 
that we are intended for a better. We have all of 
us a longing after happiness; and surely the Creator 
will gratify all the natural desires he has implanted 
in us. — Robert Southey. 

Whenso my quick, light-sandaled feet 
Bring me where Joys and Pleasures meet, 
I mingle with their throng at will; 
They know me not an alien still, 
Since neither words nor ways unsweet 
Of stored bitterness I spill; 
Youth shuns me not nor gladness fears, 
For I go softly all my years. 

—Edith Thomas. 

He hath swallowed up death forever; and the 
Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from off all 
faces. — Isaiah 25. 8. 



Loving Father, help me to guard my inclinations. 
May I be able to appreciate that though I may 
be restless from ambition, I also may be restless 
through discontent. Correct my life, that my de- 
sires may meet the true demands of my soul. 
Strengthen me with the power of calmness, that "I 
may go softly all my years," even though I walk 
through the bitterness of sorrow. Amen. 



240 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST THIRTEENTH 

Jeremy Taylor died 1667. 

Dr. William Wotton born 1669. 

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward born 1844. 

Elizabeth Prentiss died 1878. 

Sir John Millais died 1896. 



Feeling the way — and all the way up hill; 
But on the open summit, calm and still, 
The feet of Christ are planted; and they stand 
In view of all the quiet land. 

Feeling the way — and if the way is cold, 
What matter? since upon the fields of gold 
His breath is melting; and the warm winds sing 
While rocking summer days for him. 

—Elizabeth S. Phelps. 

All the performances of human art, at which we 
look with praise and wonder, are instances of the 
resistless force of perseverance. — Samuel Johnson. 



But abide thou in the things which thou hast 
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom 
thou hast learned them. — 2 Timothy 3. 14. 



My Lord, I would remember to ask thee this 
morning for that of which I seem to have most need. 
May I have the will to keep my patience and realize 
the untold power of my words and actions. Give 
me thy peace, not only to rest in, but that I may 
have it to give to others. Amen. 



I 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 241 



AUGUST FOURTEENTH 

Dr. Meric Casaubon born 1599. 
Dr. Charles Hutton born 1737. 
Walter Besant born 1836. 
Ernest Thompson Seton born 1860. 
Florence Nightingale died 1910. 

I count this thing to be grandly true, 
That a noble deed is a step toward God; 
Lifting the soul from the common clod 

To a purer air and a broader view. 

We rise by the things that are under our feet, 
By what we have mastered of good or gain, 
By the pride deposed and the passion slain, 

And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet. 

— Richard Watson Gilder. 

No Apostle of Liberty much to my heart ever 
found I; 

License each for himself, this was at bottom their 
want. 

Liberator of many! first dare to be Servant of many; 
What a business is that, would'st thou know it, go 
try! 

— Goethe. 

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

— 1 Thessalonians 5. 21. 

Gracious Father, if I may be beginning this day 
with an unclean purpose in my heart, help me to 
clear it away; if I may be trying to avoid some 
urgent duty, make me ashamed to resist it. Keep 
away the desires that harm my life, and that with- 
hold the enjoyment of my common work. Amen. 



242 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST FIFTEENTH 

Jeremy Taylor baptized 1613. 
Napoleon Bonaparte born 1769. 
Sir Walter Scott born 1771. 
Thomas de Quincey born 1785. 



And do our loves all perish with our frames? 
Do those that took their root and put forth buds, 
And their soft leaves unfolded in the warmth 
Of mutual hearts, grow up and live in beauty, 
Then fade and fall, like fair, unconscious flowers? 

O, listen, man! 
A voice within us speaks the startling word, 
"Man, thou shalt never die!" 

— Richard Henry Dana. 

I am drawing near to the close of my career; I am 
fast shuffling off the stage. I have been perhaps the 
most voluminous author of the day; and it is a 
comfort to me to think I have tried to unsettle no 
man's faith, to corrupt no man's principle, and that 
I have written nothing which on my deathbed I 
should wish blotted. — Sir Walter Scott. 



But concerning love of the brethren ye have no 
need that one write unto you: for ye yourselves are 
taught of God to love one another. 

— 1 Thessalonians 4. 9. 

Almighty God, may I have that faith in eternal 
life which will make me careful of what I choose for 
my own and more careful of what I put in the lives 
of others. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 243 



AUGUST SIXTEENTH 

Ralph Thoresby born 1658. 
Dr. Thomas Fuller died 1661. 
Dr. Matthew Tindal died 1733. 



The secret of goodness and greatness is in choos- 
ing whom you will approach and live with, in 
memory or imagination, through the crowding ob- 
vious people who seem to live with you. 

— Robert Browning. 



Fair Nature's book together read, 

The old wood-paths that knew our tread, 

The maple shadows overhead — 

Where'er I look, where'er I stray, 
Thy thought goes with me on my way, 
And hence the prayer I breathe to-day. 

— John Greenleaf Whittier. 



Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? 

—Amos 3. 3. 



Lord God, I thank thee for the delight of con- 
genial companions and the memory of friendship. 
May I not be quick to lose my friends through mis- 
understanding and selfishness. May I be con- 
siderate and constant and be able to climb to the 
highest steeps of friendship. Amen. 



244 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST SEVENTEENTH 

Dr. William Carey born 1761. 
David Crockett born 1786. 

Mary Abigail Dodge (Gail Hamilton) died 1896. 



The destiny of nations lies far more in the hands 
of women — the mothers — than in the hands of 
those who possess power. We must cultivate 
women, who are educators of the human race, else 
a new generation cannot accomplish its task. 

— Froebel. 

In an old continental town they will show you a 
prison in a tower, and on all the stones of that 
prison within reach one word is carved — it is, 
"Resist!" Years ago a godly woman was for forty 
years immured in that dungeon, and she spent her 
time in cutting with a piece of iron on every stone 
that one word, for the strengthening of her own 
heart and for the benefit of all who might come 
after her, "Resist!" "Resist!" "Resist!" 

—J. G. Mantle. 

Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto 
Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt 
escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews 
. . . and who knoweth whether thou art not come 
to the kingdom for such a time as this? 

—Esther 4. 13, 14. 

Lord God, give me wisdom to help relieve the 
ignorant and suffering. May I strive in every way 
to free thy people, that they may be uplifted in the 
progress of life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 245 



AUGUST EIGHTEENTH 

Virginia Dare, first English child born in America, 
1587. 

Dr. Henry Hammond born 1605. 
Robert Williams Buchanan born 1841. 
John Russell born 1792. 



Pour out thy love like the rush of a river, 
Wasting its waters for ever and ever, 
Through the burnt sands that reward not the giver; 
Silent or songful thou nearest the sea. 

Scatter thy life as the summer showers pouring. 
What if no bird through the pearl rain is soaring? 
What if no blossom looks upward adoring? 
Look to the life that was lavished for thee. 

— Unknown. 



Who is the happiest person? He whose nature 
asks for nothing that the world does not wish and 
use. — Goethe. 



Freely ye received, freely give. — Matthew 10. 8. 



My Father, I pray that I may have the sym- 
pathy that responds with consideration and devo- 
tion. May it be a joy for me to give comfort and 
render service where I may help. Grant that I 
may not linger too long in happiness and miss thy 
blessings, but remember that to "travel hopefully 
is a better thing than to arrive." Amen. 



246 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST NINETEENTH 

Augustus Caesar died A. D. 14. 
James Watt died 1819. 
Robert Bloomfield died 1823. 
Honore Balzac died 1850. 



It is written not, "Blessed is he that feedeth the 
poor," but "Blessed is he that considereth the 
poor." And you know a little thought and a little 
kindness are often worth more than a great deal of 
money. — John Ruskin. 



So pity never leaves the gentle breast 
WTiere love has been received a welcome guest; 
As wandering saints poor huts have sacred made, 
He hallows every heart he once has swayed, 
And, when his presence we no longer share, 
Still leaves compassion as a relic there. 

— Thomas Sheridan. 

If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily 
food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be 
ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the 
things needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

— James 2. 16. 



Tender Father, help me to consider those who 
receive the crust of bread at my door; for if it 
be needed it is asked for by sad and desperate 
lives. Make me conscious of thy mercy and help, 
that I may be considerate for the one with the 
outstretched hand. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 247 



AUGUST TWENTIETH 

Saint Bernard died 1153. 

Robert Herrick born 1591. 

John and Cornelius De Witt killed 1672. 

Francis Asbury born 1745. 

Henry P. Liddon born 1829. 

Benjamin Harrison, Ohio, twenty-third President 
United States, born 1833. 



The busy world shoves angrily aside 

The man who stands with arms akimbo set 

Until occasion tells him what to do; 

And he who waits to have his task marked out 

Shall die and leave his errand unfulfilled. 

— James Russell Lowell. 



Awake, arise! the hour is late! 

Angels are knocking at thy door! 
They are in haste and cannot wait, 

And once departed come no more. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



Boast not thyself of to-morrow; 

For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 

— Proverbs 27. 1. 



Gracious Father, grant that I may not tarry so 
long, that when I arrive I will hear, "Too late, too 
late, ye cannot enter now"; but may I be so persistent 
with every day that when I arrive I may be ready 
as well as on time. Amen. 



248 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST TWENTY-FIRST 

Lady Mary Montagu died 1762. 
Jules Michelet born 1798. 
John Tyndall born 1820. 



Let us never be afraid of innocent joy; God is 
good and what he does is well done; resign your- 
self to everything, even happiness; ask for the 
spirit of sacrifice, of detachment, of renunciation, 
and above all, for the spirit of joy and gratitude. 

— Amiel. 



That's the wise thrush; 
He sings each song twice over, 
Lest you should think he never could recapture 
The first fine careless rapture ! 

— Robert Browning. 



And these things we write, that our joy may be 
made full. — 1 John 1. 4. 



Lord God, help me to keep the things under my 
feet that are inclined to destroy happiness. Show me 
clearly the line which divides right and wrong, that 
I may not fear the censure of the world. Help me 
to act with good judgment and be calm in obeying 
thy laws. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 249 



AUGUST TWENTY-SECOND 

John B. Gough born 1817. 
Warren Hastings died 1818. 
G. W. De Long born 1844. 



I never saw a moor, 

I never saw the sea; 
Yet know I how a heather looks 

And what a wave must be. 

I never spoke with God, 

Nor visited in heaven; 
Yet certain am I of the spot 

As if the chart were given. 

— Emily Dickinson. 



I don't want to possess a faith; I want a faith 
which will possess me. — Charles Kingsley. 



Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith 
Jehovah of hosts. — Zechariah 4. 6. 



My Father, may there be no room in my soul for 
doubt. Help me to be cautious and careful that 
my own neglect and carelessness may not cause the 
loss of my faith. May I be trustful as I look 
for the great light that guides me over the uncer- 
tain way. Amen. 



250 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST TWENTY-THIRD 

Rowland Hill born 1744. 
Louis XVI born 1754. 
William E. Henley born 1849. 



Out of the night that covers me, 
Black as the Pit from pole to pole, 

I thank whatever gods may be 
For my unconquerable soul. 

It matters not how strait the gate, 

How charged with punishments the scroll, 

I am master of my fate, 
I am the captain of my soul. 

— W. E. Henley. 

A man who has borne himself honorably through 
a whole life makes an action honorable which might 
appear ambiguous in others. — Goethe. 



Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, 
unmovable. — 1 Corinthians 15. 58. 



Father of mercy, I beseech thee to protect me in 
my endeavors as I try to live my ideals. May I 
not choose unnecessary burdens, and when I most 
need to be strong find that I have lived in that 
which has weakened my life. I ask for a clear 
mind and a strong heart that I may be "Captain of 
my soul." Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 251 



AUGUST TWENTY-FOURTH 

William Wilberforce born 1759. 
William Thomas Moncrieff born 1794. 
Theodore Parker born 1810. 



Give me, Lord, eyes to behold the truth; 

A seeing sense that knows the eternal right; 
A heart with pity filled, and gentlest ruth; 

A manly faith that makes all darkness light: 
Give me the power to labor for mankind; 

Make me the mouth of such as cannot speak; 
Eyes let me be to groping men and blind. 

— Theodore Parker. 



Love's hearts are faithful, but not fond, 
Bound for the just, but not beyond; 
Not glad, as the low-loving herd, 
Of self in other still preferred, 
But they have heartily designed 
The benefit of broad mankind. 
And they serve men austerely, 
After their own genius, clearly, 
Without a false humility. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Herein I also exercise myself to have a conscience 
void of offense toward God and men always. 

—Acts 24. 16. 

Heavenly Father, help me to-day to look into my 
heart and see the truth of my life, and show me thy 
heart that I may see the truth of life. Amen. 



252 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST TWENTY-FIFTH 

Thomas Chatterton died 1770. 
Sir William Herschel died 1822. 
Francis Bret Harte died 1902. 



O teach me in the trying hour, 

When anguish swells the dewy tear, 

To still my sorrows, own thy power, 
Thy goodness love, thy justice fear. 

Then why, my soul, dost thou complain? 

Why drooping seek the dark recess? 
Shake off the melancholy chain, 

For God created all to bless. 

— Thomas Chatterton, 



Each substance of a grief hath twenty shadows 

which show like grief itself, but are not so: 
For sorrow's eye, glazed with blinding tears, 
Divides one thing entire to many shadows. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 
And why art thou disquieted within me? 
Hope thou in God. 

—Psalm 42. 5. 

Loving Father, forbid that I should be lonesome, 
and forget thou art my friend: and may I not pass 
over thy mercies while waiting for thy compas- 
sion. Help me to find contentment in the inherit- 
ances of the earth, where I may always draw from 
thee. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 253 



AUGUST TWENTY-SIXTH 

Sir Robert Walpole born 1676. 
Adam Clarke died 1832. 
Henry Fawcett born 1833. 



Lord, for to-morrow and its needs 

I do not pray; 
Keep me, my God, from stain of sin 

Just for to-day. 
Help me to labor earnestly, 

And duly pray; 
Let me be kind in word and deed, 

Father, to-day. 

Let me no wrong or idle word 

Unthinking say; 
Set thou a seal upon my lips 

Through all to-day. 
Let me in season, Lord, be grave, 

In season gay; 
Let me be faithful to thy grace, 

Dear Lord, to-day. 

— Ernest Wilberforce. 

And which of you by being anxious can add one 
cubit unto the measure of his life? — Matthew 6. 27. 



My Lord, I pray that thou wilt control my life, 
and bless the going out of my work, be it ever so 
great or small. Help me to realize the necessity of 
earnestness, that I may "work while it is to-day/' and 
I have the light, and not wait for the night, when it 
is too dark for work to be done. May I be faithful 
in my work until it is completed. Amen. 



254 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH 

William Woollett born 1735. 
James Thomson died 1748. 
George W. F. Hegel born 1770. 



Who are thy playmates, boy? 
"My favorite is joy, 

Who brings with him his sister Peace, to stay 

The livelong day. 

I love them both; but he 

Is most to me!" 

And where are thy playmates now, 

O man of sober brow? 

"Alas! dear joy, the merriest is dead, 

But I have wed 

Peace; and our babe, a boy 

Newborn, is joy." 

—John B. Tabb. 



Depart from evil, and do good; 
Seek peace, and pursue it. 

—Psalm 34. 14. 



Lord God, may I realize more my dependence on 
thee for the joys of life. I pray that as I accept 
thy gifts I will not neglect to take the peace and 
happiness which thou dost give with them. Grant 
that I may have the bright hope and cheerful 
courage that is the experience of power and truth. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 255 



AUGUST TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Johann W. von Goethe born 1749. 
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel born 1809. 
Jones Very born 1813. 
Count Lyoff (Leo) Tolstoy born 1828. 
Sir Edward Burne-Jones born 1833. 
Leigh Hunt died 1859. 



All truly wise thoughts have been already thought 
a thousand times; but to make them truly ours we 
must think them over again honestly, till they take 
firm root in our personal experience. — Goethe. 



The light that fills thy house at morn 
Thou canst not for thyself retain; 

But all who with thee here are born 
It bids to share an equal gain. 

The wave, the blue encircling wave, 
No chain can bind, no fetter hold; 

Its thunders tell of Him who gave 
What none can ever buy for gold. 

— Jones Very. 



And the glory which thou hast given me I have 
given unto them — John 17. 22. 



Father of love, I thank thee for thy daily love and 
for thy daily bread. May I feel that thy gifts are for 
all, and not mine to keep and store from those who 
are in need. Help me as I say, "Thy will be done 
to me," to so will it to others. Amen. 



256 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST TWENTY-NINTH 

John Locke born 1632. 
John Fawcett born 1768. 
Frederick D. Maurice born 1805. 
Oliver Wendell Holmes born 1809. 
Maurice Maeterlinck born 1862. 



Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, 

As the swift seasons roll! 

Leave thy low- vaulted past! 
Let each new temple, nobler than the last, 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 

Till thou at length art free, 
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea! 

— Oliver Wendell Holmes. 



We all live in the sublime. Where else can we 
live? That is the only place of life. Though you 
have but a little room, do you fancy that God is not 
there, too, and it is impossible to live therein a life 
that shall be somewhat lofty? Do you imagine that 
you can possibly be alone, that love can be a thing 
one knows, a thing one sees; that events can be 
weighed like the gold and silver of ransom? 

— Maurice Maeterlinck. 



My soul waiteth in silence for God only: 
From him cometh my salvation. 

—Psalm 62. 1. 



Loving Father, help me to live, that my spirit 
may always dwell in thy protecting love. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 257 



AUGUST THIRTIETH 

Cleopatra died B. C. 30. 
William Paley born 1743. 
Julian A. Weir born 1852. 



Thyself and thy belongings 
Are not thine own so proper as to waste 
Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee. 
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, 
Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues 
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike 
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely 
touched 

But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends 
The smallest scruple of her excellence, 
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines 
Herself the glory of a creditor, 
Both thanks and use. 

— William Shakespeare. 



Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and 
mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an 
ensample. — Philippians 3. 17. 



My Father, I pray that I may not let my life be- 
come commonplace through habit. May I not be 
content to rest in my virtues and let the days pass 
neglected. Awaken my dull satisfactions to a de- 
sire to live for the greatest, that I may have the 
greatest to live for. Amen. 



258 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



AUGUST THIRTY-FIRST 

John Bunyan died 1686. 

Charles James Lever born 1806. 

Theophile Gautier born 1811. 

Queen Wilhelmina of Holland born 1880. 



Let us be patient, and endure a while; the time 
may come that God may give us a happy release; 
but let us not be our own murderers. 

— John Bunyan. 



He that is down need fear no fall; 

He that is low no pride; 
He that is humble ever shall 

Have God to be his guide. 

— John Bunyan. 

Time delivers fools from grief and reason wise 
men. — Epictetus . 



For our light affliction, which is for the moment, 
worketh for us more and more exceedingly an 
eternal weight of glory. — 2 Corinthians 4. 17. 



My Lord, if I may be walking through fields that 
are rough with grief and care, may I have the 
courage to continue on to the smooth pastures, 
where I may walk with comfort and peace. May I 
not let the weariness and sorrow that may come to 
my heart to-day dwarf my hope and enjoyment of 
the future. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 259 



SEPTEMBER 

Go forth at eventide, 
The eventide of summer, when the trees 
Yield their frail honors to the passing breeze, 
And woodland paths with autumn tints are dyed; 
When the mild sun his paling luster shrouds 
In gorgeous draperies of golden clouds, 
Then wander forth, mid beauty and decay, 
To meditate alone — alone to watch and pray. 

— Emma C. Embury. 



260 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER FIRST 

Edward Alleyn born 1566. 

Lydia Sigourney born 1791. 

James Gordon Bennett, Sr., born 1795. 

William Stanley Jevons born 1835. 



O ye, who proudly boast, 
In your veins, the blood of sires like these, 
Look to their lineaments. Dread lest ye lose 
Their likeness in your sons. Should mammon cling 
Too close around your heart, or wealth beget 
That bloated luxury which eats the core 
From manly virtue, or the tempting world 
Make faint the Christian purpose in your soul, 
Turn ye to Plymouth Rock, and where they knelt 
Kneel, and renew the vow they breathed to God. 

— Lydia Sigourney. 



Educate children without religion, and you make 
a race of clever devils. — Duke of Wellington. 



Remember his covenant for ever, 
The word which he commanded to a thousand 
generations, 

— 1 Chronicles 16. 15. 



O Lord of wisdom, kindle me with a love for true 
knowledge, that I may strive, in the moments I 
have now, to culture my life. Not by might, not by 
power, but by thy spirit, O Lord, may I learn and 
teach thy children. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 261 



SEPTEMBER SECOND 

John Howard born 1726. 
Henry George born 1839. 
George R. Sims born 1842. 
Eugene Field born 1850. 
Newell Dwight Hillis born 1858. 



And thus we sat in darkness, 

Each one busy in his prayer; 
"We are lost!" the captain shouted, 

As he staggered down the stair. 
But the little daughter whispered, 

As she took his icy hand, 
"Isn't God upon the ocean, 

Just the same as on the land?" 

— Eugene Field. 



Happiness is through helpfulness. Every morn- 
ing let us build a booth to shelter some one from 
life's fierce heat. Every noon let us dig some life- 
spring for thirsty lips. — Newell Dwight Hillis. 



Jehovah is nigh unto all them that call upon him, 
To all that call upon him in truth. 

—Psalm 145. 18. 



Heavenly Father, may I live that my spirit may 
never feel lost from thee; and when I am in great 
need of thee, even unto death, may I know that 
thou art very near. Amen. 



262 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER THIRD 

Oliver Cromwell died 1658. 
George Lillo died 1739. 
Bishop James Harrington born 1847. 
Sarah Orne Jewett born 1849. 

Love thyself last: cherish those hearts that hate 
thee: 

Corruption wins not more than honesty. 

Still in thy right hand carry peace, 

To silence envious tongues. Be just and fear not: 

Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's, 

Thy God's and truth's; then if thou fallest, O 

Cromwell, 
Thou fallest a blessed martyr. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Surely, the only true knowledge of our fellow 
man is that which enables us to feel with him, which 
gives us a fine ear for the heart-pulses that are 
beating under the mere clothes of circumstance and 
opinion. — George Eliot. 

With all lowliness and meekness, with long- 
suffering, forbearing one another in love. 

— Ephesians 4. 2. 

Lord, give thy people consistency of judgment, 
one heart, and mutual love; and go on to deliver 
them, and with the work of the reformation; and 
make the name of Christ glorious in the world. 
Teach those who look too much on thy instruments 
to depend more upon thyself. Pardon the folly of 
this short prayer: Even for Christ's sake. And 
give us a good night, if it be thy pleasure. Amen. 

— Prayer by Oliver Cromwell, 
just before death. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 263 



SEPTEMBER FOURTH 

Pindar, poet, born B. C. 522. 
William E. Dodge born 1805. 
Phoebe Cary born 1824. 
Sir Wilfred Lawson born 1829. 



I ask not wealth, but power to take 
And use the things I have, aright; 

Not years, but wisdom that shall make 
My life a profit and delight. 

— Phoebe Cary. 

* 

Another day may bring another mind, 

A mind to learn when there is none to teach; 

To follow when no leader we can find; 

To enjoy when good is now beyond our reach. 

A better mind, but not a better time, 

A mind to will, but not a time to do 
What had been done, if we in life's bright prime, 

When God was ready, had been ready too. 

— Thomas T. Lynch. 

Give diligence to present thyself approved unto 
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. 

—2 Timothy 2. 15. 



My Father, help me to have lofty thoughts, and 
may I not be content until they are carried into 
purpose. Help me to conquer that which will keep 
me from an act of happiness, and grant that by 
thinking of that which is pure, and doing that which 
is good, I may be made helpful and true. Amen. 



264 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER FIFTH 

Catherine Parr died 1548. 
Cardinal Richelieu born 1585. 
Robert Fergusson born 1750. 
Giacomo Meyerbeer born 1791. 
Richard C. Trench born 1807. 



Be patient! 0, be patient! Put your ear against 
the earth; 

Listen there how noiselessly the germ o' the seed has 

birth- 
How noiselessly and gently it upheaves its little 

way, 

Till it parts the scarcely broken ground, and the 
blade stands up in day. r 

Be patient! 0, be patient! — though yet our hopes 

are green, 

The harvest fields of freedom shall be crowned with 
sunny sheen. 

Be ripening! be ripening — mature your silent way, 
Till the whole broad land is tongued with fire on 
freedom's harvest day. 

— Richard C. Trench. 

And let patience have its perfect work, that ye 
may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. 

— James 1. 4. 

Gracious Father, help me to see the truth as thou 
hast made it, and may I not be indifferent to the 
beauty and patience of the earth's revelations. May 
I not mistake indolence for patient ambition, which 
I would have for anxious hours, and which I need 
for my heart's desires. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 265 



SEPTEMBER SIXTH 

Moses Mendelssohn born 1729. 
Marquis de Lafayette born 1757. 
Jane Addams born 1860. 



God will not seek thy race, 

Nor will he ask thy birth; 
Alone he will demand of thee, 

What hast thou done on earth? 

— Persian. 

One dreams of the time when the interest and 
capacity of each person shall be studied with refer- 
ence to the industry about to be undertaken. 

— Jane Addams. 



Honor is purchased by deeds we do, honor is not 
won, until some honorable deed is done. 

— Sir Christopher Marlowe. 



In diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving 
the Lord. — Romans 12. 11. 



Gracious Father, wilt thou bring to my mind and 
heart the important things which are needed in 
preparing life. Help me to use the strength that is 
given to me for to-day, that I may not have to give 
to-morrow to learning what I should have known. 
Amen. 



266 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER SEVENTH 

Queen Elizabeth born 1533. 
Comte de Buffon born 1707. 
Victorien Sardou born 1831. 
Hannah More died 1833. 
John G. Whittier died 1892. 



Side by side 
In the low sunshine by the turban stone 
They knelt; each made his brother's woe his own, 
Forgetting, in the agony and stress 
Of pitying love, his claim of selfishness; 
Peace, for his friend besought, his own became; 
His prayers were answered in another's name; 
And when at last they rose up to embrace, 
Each saw God's pardon in his brother's face. 

—John G. Whittier. 

My care is like my shadow in the sun, 
Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it; 
Stands and lies by me, does what I have done, 
This too familiar care does make me rue it. 
No means I find to rid him from my breast, 
Till by the end of things it be suppressed. 

— Queen Elizabeth. 

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the 
law of Christ. — Galatians 6. 2. 



Lord God, help me to look for those who are in 
need of help. Forgive me for my failures, and may 
I gather up my broken promises and try to redeem 
them. I ask for thy forgiveness, as I ask that thou 
wilt help me to forgive them who may have tres- 
passed against me. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 267 



SEPTEMBER EIGHTH 

Richard Coeur de Lion born 1157, 
A. W. Schlegel born 1767. 
Antonin Dvorak born 1841. 



All service ranks the same with God, — 
With God, whose puppets, best and worst, 
Are we: there is no last nor first. 

— Robert Browning. 



Thou needest not man's little life of years, 
Save that he gather wisdom from them all; 

That in thy fear he lose all other fears, 
And in thy calling heed no other call. 

Then shall he be thy child to know thy care, 

And in thy Self the eternal Sabbath share. 

— Jones Very. 



He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his 
soul; 

But he that is careless of his ways shall die. 

—Proverbs 191. 6. 



My Lord, forbid that I should want to live to be 
known only for power and pride. Help me to strive 
for that which is helpful and lovely. May I never 
be restrained from thee, but delight to follow in thy 
way. Help me to be obedient to thy laws, that I 
may learn thy truths. Amen. 



268 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER NINTH 
Battle of Flodden. 

James the Fourth of Scotland killed 1513. 
Luigi Galvani born 1737. 



Then welcome each rebuff 

That turns earth's smoothness rough, 

Each sting that bids nor sit, nor stand but go! 
Be our joys three-parts pain! 
Strive and hold cheap the strain; 

Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge 
the throe. 

— Robert Browning. 



Life without industry is guilt; and industry with- 
out art is brutality. — John Ruskin. 



Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for 
when he hath been approved, he shall receive the 
crown of life. — James 1. 12. 



Almighty God, help me as I start this day to re- 
member how easy it is to drive the peace from it. 
May I do my best to keep it, and defy any indolence 
or disposition that may make me spoil it. May I 
lay me down at night in peace and sleep because of 
the contentment that has filled the hours. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 269 



SEPTEMBER TENTH 

William the Conqueror died 1087. 
Dr. Thomas Sheridan died 1788. 
Mungo Park born 1771. 

Mrs. Godwin (Mary Wollstonecraft) died 1797. 



Let the wind blow east, west, north, or south, the 
immortal soul will take its flight to the destined 
point. — Thomas Sheridan. 



He is void of true taste who strives to have his 
house admired by decorating it with showish out- 
side; but to adorn our character by gentleness of a 
communicative temper is a proof of good taste and 
good nature — Epictetus. 



Let fortune empty her whole quiver on me. 
I have a soul that, like an empty shield, 
Can take it all, and verge enough for more. 

— Thomas Dryden. 

The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, 
and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom. 

—2 Timothy 4. 18. 

Almighty God, I bless thee that it is thou who 
brought me to live on earth; and I rejoice that it is 
thou who wilt judge my life when thou takest me 
away. May I be saving thy rich gifts that I may 
not be found poor; and may I be worthy to receive 
thine inheritance and hear thee say, "Well done." 
Amen. 



270 LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH 

Battle of Marathon B. C. 490. 
William Lowth born 1661. 
James Thomson born 1700. 



But what is virtue but repose of mind, 

A pure ethereal calm, that knows no storm; 

Above the reach of wild ambitious wind, 
Above the passions that this world deform. 

— James Thomson. 



And if I pray, the only prayer 

That moves my lips for me 
Is, "Leave the heart that now I bear, 

And give me liberty!" 

Yes, as my swift days near their goal, 

'Tis all that I implore; 
In life and death, a chainless soul 

With courage to endure. 

— Emily Bronte. 



Cast not away therefore your boldness, which 
hath great recompense of reward. — Hebrews 10. 35. 



Tender Father, may I pause this morning to look 
at that which I keep uppermost in my life; and if it 
may not be worthy of thy esteem, may I be bold 
enough to revise my ideals. With thy compassion 
may I free my heart and mind of all unworthiness, 
and be given endurance to restore the empty 
places. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 271 



SEPTEMBER TWELFTH 

Jean-Philippe Rameau born 1693. 

Griffith Jones died 1786. 

Charles Dudley Warner born 1829. 



Our duty is to be useful, not according to our 
desires, but according to our powers. — Amiel. 



How good is man's life, the mere living! how fit to 
employ 

All the heart and the soul and the senses for ever in 

joy! 

— Robert Browning. 



Do something! No man is born with a mortgage 
on his soul; but every man is born a debtor to Time. 
Meet this obligation before you find too late that 
your life is impoverished and you cannot redeem it. 

— M. B. S. 



Let him labor, working with his hands the thing 
that is good, that he may have whereof to give to 
him that hath need. — Ephesians 4. 28. 



My Father, what I have left out of my life I know 
I cannot recover now. I pray that I may give the 
best to what is left. Make me deliberate, that I may 
prove my earnestness. Make me industrious, that 
I may use my best resources to develop my life and 
further thy kingdom. Amen. 



272 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER THIRTEENTH 

William Cecil born 1520. 
Michael de Montaigne died 1592. 
General Wolfe died 1759. 
Charles James Fox died 1806. 



And thou, O river of to-morrow, flowing 
Between thy narrow adamantine walls, 
But beautiful, and white with waterfalls 

And wreaths of mist, like hands the pathway- 
showing; 

I hear the trumpets of the morning blowing. 

It is the mystery of the unknown 

That fascinates us; we are children still, 

Wayward and wistful; with one hand we cling 

To the familiar things we call our own, 
And with the other, resolute of will, 

Grope in the dark for what the day will bring. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth. 

—Job 5. 17. 



Almighty God, I pray that thou wilt help me to 
correct my life to-day that I may know a better 
way to-morrow; and may I be mindful and try to 
do right. Grant that I may be patient and kind 
if I may be sick or in need, and always keep upper- 
most the faith of deliverance and eternal care. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 273 



SEPTEMBER FOURTEENTH 

Alighieri Dante died 1321. 

Alexander Baron von Humboldt born 1769. 

Julia Magruder born 1854. 

Charles Dana Gibson born 1867. 



Since it is Providence that determines the fates of 
men, their inner nature is thus brought into unison. 
There is such harmony, as in all things of nature, 
that one might explain the whole without referring 
to a higher Providence. But this only proves the 
more clearly and certainly this higher Providence, 
which has given existence to this harmony. 

— Wilhelm von Humboldt. 



The good mariner, when he draws near the port, 
turls his sails and enters it softly; so ought we to 
lower the sails of our worldly operations, and turn 
to God with all heart and understanding. — Dante. 



Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; 

Thy judgments are a great deep: 

O Jehovah, thou preservest man and beast. 

—Psalm 36. 6. 

My Father in heaven, may I hear thy voice 
to-day! May I be quiet as I listen to thee. Above 
the clamor of the crowd may I hear thee calling me. 
May I hear thee in my joys and in my sorrows; in 
my work and in my leisure. May I listen to thee 
oftener, that I may be familiar with thy ways. 
Amen. 



274 



LEAVES OP LIFE 



SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH 
James Fenimore Cooper born 1789. 
Louis Joseph Martel born 1813. 
Porfirio Diaz born 1830. 

William Howard Taft, Ohio, twenty-sixth President 
United States, born 1857. 



Friendship is one of the cheapest and most ac- 
cessible of pleasures; it requires no outlay and no 
very serious expenditure of time or trouble. It is 
quite easy to make friends, if one wants to. . . . 
There is surely no greater pleasure in the world 
than to feel one is needed, welcomed, missed, and 
loved. — Arthur C. Benson. 



"Friendship is love without his wings." 

—William H. Taft (from Byron). 

Without sympathy, in the highest sense of intel- 
lectual penetration, kindness may be a folly, and 
intended aid, oppression. — John Ruskin. 

He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own 
destruction; but there is a friend that sticketh closer 
than a brother. — Proverbs 18. 24. 



My Father, may I know the delight of true friend- 
ship which is responsive and sincere. May I never 
feel so secure in myself that I will cease to want 
friends, or be so dependent on others that I w411 be 
continually seeking them. May I understand the 
value of having a stanch friend and of being one. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 275 



SEPTEMBER SIXTEENTH 

Gabriel D. Fahrenheit died 1736. 
W. Augustus Muhlenberg born 1796. 
Francis Parkman born 1823. 



Yes, to this thought I hold with firm persistence — 
The last result of wisdom stamps it true: 

He only earns his freedom and existence 
Who daily conquers them anew. 

— Goethe. 



For thee hath been dawning 

Another blue day; 
Look how thou let it 

Slip empty away. 

— Goethe. 



Happy the man, and happy he alone, 

Who can call to-day his own: 

He who, secure within, can say, 

4 'To-morrow, do thy worst, for I have lived to-day." 

— John Dry den. 



Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory 
of Jehovah is risen upon thee. — Isaiah 60. 1. 



Gracious Father, help me to be alert this morn- 
ing and select the noblest that is in to-day. May I 
be diligent and not find in the evening that I have 
been unworthy of the day. Amen. 



276 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER SEVENTEENTH 

Samuel Prout born 1783. 
Dr. John Kidd died 1851. 
Walter Savage Landor died 1864. 



In the hour of distress and misery the eye of 
every mortal turns to friendship; in the hour of 
gladness and conviviality, what is your want? It is 
friendship. When the heart overflows with grati- 
tude or with other sweet and sacred sentiment, what 
is the word to which it would give utterance? A 
friend. — Walter Savage Landor. 



The hurried quest of some people to get hold of 
new friends is so perpetual that they never have 
time to get acquainted with anyone. — M. B. S. 



Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake 
not; 

And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy 
calamity: 

Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far 
off. 

—Proverbs 27. 10. 

My Lord and my Friend, I pray that my sym- 
pathy may be sincere and comforting, and with a 
glad heart I may bring rejoicing to my friends. May 
I learn from thee how I may be a permanent friend. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 277 



SEPTEMBER EIGHTEENTH 

Trajan, Roman emperor, born 1584. 
James Shirley born 1596. 
Samuel Johnson born 1709. 
Joseph Story born 1779. 



There is no greater happiness than to be able to 
look on a life usefully and virtuously employed: to 
trace our own purposes in existence by such tokens 
that excite neither shame nor sorrow. — Dr. Johnson. 



The perfect poise that comes from self-control, 
The poetry of action, rhythmic, sweet — 

The unvexed music of the body and soul 

That the Greeks dreamed of, made at last com- 
plete. 

Our stumbling lives attain not such a bliss; 

Too often, while the air we vainly beat, 
Love's perfect law of liberty we miss. 

— Annie Matheson. 



Brethren, I have lived before God in all good 
conscience until this day. — Acts 23. 1. 



Heavenly Father, may I not confuse my life with 
rebellion, but through thy guidance find peace. 
Help me through the perplexities that may keep 
me from the quietness of to-day. Keep me in sight 
of the great plan of life, that I may grow steadfastly 
toward thee. Amen. 



278 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER NINETEENTH 

Battle of Poitiers 1356. 
Hartley Coleridge born 1796. 
President Garfield died 1881. 



Be not afraid to pray — to pray is right. 

Pray if thou canst, with hope; but ever pray 
Though hope be weak, or sick with long delay; 

Pray in the darkness, if there be no light. 

Far is the time, remote from human sight, 
When war and discord on earth shall cease: 
Yet every prayer for universal peace 

Avails the time to expedite. 

— Hartley Coleridge. 

More things are wrought by prayer 

Than the world dreams of. Wherefore let thy voice 

Rise like a fountain for me night and day. 

For what are men better than sheep or goats 

That nourish a blind life within the brain, 

If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer 

Both for themselves and those who call them friend? 

For so the whole world is every way 

Bound by gold chains about the feet of God. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein 
with thanksgiving. — Colossians 4. 2. 



O Lord, give me the desire to pray, and teach me 
to pray as thou wouldst have my needs. Sustain 
me, that I may overcome my weaknesses, and 
strengthen me, that I may have thine approval. 
May I be reverent and unselfish as I come to thee 
in prayer. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 279 



SEPTEMBER TWENTIETH 

Battle of Salamis B. C. 480. 
Alexander the Great born B. C. 356. 
Robert Emmet died 1803. 

David Ross Locke (Petroleum V. Nasby) born 1833. 



J Tis weary watching wave by wave, 

And yet the tide heaves onward; 
We climb, like corals, grave by grave, 

That pave a pathway sunward. 
We're driven back, for our next fray 

A newer strength to borrow; 
And where the vanguard camps to-day, 

The rear shall rest to-morrow. 

— Gerald Massey. 



Be like the bird, that, pausing in her flight 
A while on boughs too slight, 
Feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, 
Knowing that she hath wings. 

— Victor Hugo. 



Trust in Jehovah, and do good; 

Dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness. 

—Psalm 37. 3. 



Eternal God, help me to realize that life is not 
only endless but, whether I live in love and obedience, 
or wait in neglect and indifference, that I can never 
separate myself from thee. May I be diligent in 
worthy endeavors to do my best for thee. Amen. 



280 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-FIRST 

Girolamo Savonarola born 1452. 
Emperor Charles V died 1558. 
Sir Walter Scott died 1832. 



It is the secret sympathy, 
The silver link, the silken tie, 
Which heart to heart and mind to mind 
In body and in soul can bind. 

— Sir Walter Scott. 



No action, whether foul or fair, 

Is ever done, but it carves somewhere 

A record, written by fingers ghostly, 

As a blessing or a curse, and mostly 

In the greater weakness or greater strength 

Of the acts which follow it. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 



And he said unto them, Look on me, and do like- 
wise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost 
part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall 
ye do. — Judges 7. 17. 



Loving Father, may I remember that from the 
beginning, all things were created beautiful and 
were given for love. I pray that I may be will- 
ing to be guided to the beautiful things of life 
and receive from them the delight of thy love. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 281 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-SECOND 

Peter Simon Pallas born 1741. 
Michael Faraday born 1791. 
Theodore Edward Hook born 1788. 



Man learns to swim by being tossed into life's 
maelstrom and left to make his way ashore. No 
youth can learn to sail his life-craft in a lake se- 
questered and sheltered from all the storms, where 
other vessels never come. Skill comes through sail- 
ing one's craft amidst rocks and bars and opposing 
fleets, amidst storms and whirls and counter 
currents. — Newell Dwight Hillis. 



O, a trouble's a ton or a trouble's an ounce, 

Or a trouble is what you make it! 
And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts, 

But only — how did you take it? 

— Edmund C. Vance. 



And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained 
the promise. — Hebrews 6. 15. 



Tender Father, may I not encourage the disposi- 
tion to enlarge and make much of the troubles and 
disappointments of life, and make light of the joys 
and privileges. I pray that I may keep a large 
place for happiness. Amen. 



282 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-THIRD 

Karl Theodore Korner born 1791. 
Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen born 1848. 
Wilkie Collins died 1889. 
M. F. H. De Haas died 1895. 

When over the fair fame of friend or foe 
The shadow of disgrace shall fall; instead 

Of words to blame, or reproof of thus and so, 
Let something good be said. 

Forget not that no fellow-being yet 

May fall so low but love may lift his head; 

Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet 
If something good be said. 

— Author unknown. 

The right Christian mind will . . . find its own 
image wherever it exists; it will seek for what it 
loves, and draw out of all dens and caves, and it 
will believe in its being, often when it cannot see it; 
and so it will lie lovingly over the faults and rough 
places of the human heart, as the snow from heaven 
does over the hard, and black, and broken moun- 
tain rocks. — John Ruskin. 

To him that is ready to faint kindness should be 
showed from his friend. — Job 6. 14. 

Lord God, grant that after years of climbing 
I may not find the mist in my soul has dulled the 
vision of thy glory. Keep me from the habit of 
looking for faults, and missing the virtues in others. 
Forbid that I should be so occupied in taking 
measure of other lives that I neglect to measure my 
own. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 283 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-FOURTH 
John Marshall born 1755, 

Zachary Taylor, Virginia, twelfth President United 

States, born 1784. 
S. R. Crockett born 1860. 



Get the truth once uttered, and 'tis like 
A star newborn that drops into its place, 
And which, once circling in its placid round, 
Not all the tumult of the earth can shake. 

— James Russell Lowell. 



If you would be well spoken of, learn to speak 
well of others. And when you have learned to 
speak well of them, endeavor likewise to do well to 
them; and reap the fruit of being well spoken of by 
them. — Epictetus. 



He that slandereth not with his tongue, 

Nor doeth evil to his friend, 

Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor; 

He that doeth these things shall never be moved. 

—Psalm 15. 3, 5. 



Lord God, I bless thee for the lives of men and 
women who are willing to be led by the truth, and 
who are worthy to follow thee. I pray that thou 
wilt make me truthful, and keep me steadfast, that 
none may go astray by the uncertainty of my way. 
Amen. 



284 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-FIFTH 

William Romaine born 1714. 
Felicia D. Hemans born 1793. 
W. M. Rossetti born 1829. 



Not as the conqueror comes, 

They, the true-hearted, came; 
Not with the roll of the stirring drums, 

And the trumpet songs of fame: 

Amidst the storm they sang, 

And the stars heard and the sea; 
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang 

To the anthem of the free. 

Ay, call it holy ground, 

The soil where first they trod; 
They have left unstained what there they found — 

Freedom to worship God. 

— Felicia D. Hemans. 



But they shall sit every man under his vine and 
under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid, 

— Micah 4. 4. 



Eternal God, may I look to the Pilgrims and 
learn that to pray by faith with the heart is not to 
pray by faith of the imagination. Help me to pray, 
and have faith to struggle for that which I would 
rightfully have. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



285 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH 

! Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood born 1750. 
Dr. Mary Walker born 1832. 
Irving Bacheller born 1859. 
Frederic William Faber died 1863. 



God is never so far off as even to be near — 
He is within: Our spirit is the home he holds most 
dear. 

To think of him as by our side is almost as untrue 
As to remove his throne beyond the starry blue. 

— F. W. Faber. 



Nearer, my God, to thee, 

Nearer to thee ! 
E'en though it be a cross 

That raiseth me; 
Still all my song shall be — 
Nearer, my God, to thee, 

Nearer to thee! 

— Sarah F. Adams. 



My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: 
My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. 

—Job 27. 6. 



My Father, may I consider the place in which I 
stand: and may I not be deceived in thinking I am 
near thee while I am living far away. Teach me 
the way to draw nearer to thee each day, 
until my spirit may continually dwell with thee. 
Amen. 



286 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-SEVENTH 

George Cruikshank born 1792. 
Samuel Francis Dupont born 1803. 
Aime Millet born 1819. 
Henri Frederic Arniel born 1821. 



The man who has no refuge in himself, who lives, 
so to speak, in his front rooms, in the outer whirl- 
wind of things and opinions, is not properly a per- 
sonality at all; . . . he is one of a crowd. — Amiel. 



Happy the heart that keeps its twilight hour, 
And in the depths of heavenly peace reclined, 
Loves to commune with thoughts of tender power — 
Thoughts that ascend, like angels beautiful. 

— Paul Hamilton Hayne. 

The art of meditation may be exercised at all 
hours and in all places; and men of genius in their 
walks, at table, and amidst assemblies, turning the 
eye of the mind inward, can form an artificial soli- 
tude; retired amidst a crowd, calm amidst distrac- 
tions, and wise amidst folly. — Disraeli. 



Commune with your own heart upon your bed, 
and be still. — Psalm 4. 4. 



Heavenly Father, save me from being so poor in 
spirit, that I will have to be sustained by the bright 
spirits of others. May I be continually refreshed 
by the spirit of life that may be found at all times. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 287 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Francis Turner Palgrave born 1824. 
Frances E. Willard born 1839. 
General John D. French born 1852. 
Mary Anderson born 1859. 



Unless there is a predominating and overmaster- 
ing purpose to which all the accessories and inci- 
dents of life contribute, the character will be weak, 
irresolute, uncertain. — Frances E. Willard. 



Life is not an idle ore, 

But iron dug from central gloom, 
And heated hot with burning fears, 
And dipt in baths of hissing tears, 

And battered with the shocks of doom 

To shape and use. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea 
driven by the wind and tossed. ... A double- 
minded man, unstable in all his ways. 

— James 1. 6, 8. 



O God, help me to be positive. May I not want 
to be in so many places, and in so many things, 
that I can never be found in anything. Help me to 
know that a purpose secured is worth many at- 
tempts, and that to have a character I must build 
it. Amen. 



288 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



SEPTEMBER TWENTY-NINTH 

Pompey killed B. C. 48. 
Robert Lord Clive born 1725. 
Horatio Nelson born 1758. 



O strange and wild is the world of men 
Which the eyes of the Lord must see — 

With continents, islands, tribes, and tongues, 
With multitudes bond and free! 

All kings of the earth bow down to him, 
And yet — he can think of me. 

For none can measure the mind of God 

Or the bounds of eternity, 
He knows each life that has come from him, 

To the tiniest bird and bee, 
For the love of his heart is so deep and wide 

That it takes in even me. 

—Mary E. Allbright. 



Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? and not 
one of them shall fall on the ground without your 
Father: but the very hairs of your head are all 
numbered.— Matthew 10. 29, 30. 



Almighty God, cause me to look out this morn- 
ing, and open wide my eyes, that I may see what 
great preparation thou hast made that I might 
live. May I be ashamed to start wrong and be 
unworthy of the glory of this day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 289 



SEPTEMBER THIRTIETH 

George Whitefield died 1770. 
William Hutton born 1723. 
John Dollond died 1761. 



Up, up, my soul, the long-spent time redeeming; 

Sow thou the seeds of better deeds and thought; 
Light other lamps while yet thy lamp is beaming — 

The time is short. 

Think of the good thou might'st have done when 
brightly 

The suns to thee life's choicest season brought; 
Hours lost to God in pleasure passing lightly — 
The time is short. 

If thou hast friends, give them thy best endeavor, 
Thy warmest impulse, and thy purest thought, 

Keeping in mind and words and action ever — 
The time is short. 

— Elizabeth Prentiss. 



What is your life? For ye are a vapor that ap- 
peareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 

— James 4. 14. 



Loving Father, help me to realize that I am not 
living in the right way nor the right place if I am 
discontented, or happy in trifles and untruth. Help 
me to find my place, and with thy help may I stand 
firm and confident. Amen. 



290 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER 

The morns are meeker than they were, 

The nuts are getting brown; 
The berry's cheek is plumper, 

The rose is out of tow^n. 
The maple wears a gayer scarf, 

The field a scarlet gown; 
Lest I should be old-fashioned, 

I'll put a trinket on. 

— Emily Dickinson. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 291 



OCTOBER FIRST 

Saint John Viscount Bolingbroke born 1678. 
Pierre Corneille died 1684. 
Rufus Choate born 1799. 

He speaks not well who doth his time deplore, 
Naming it new and a little obscure, 
Ignoble and unfit for lofty deeds. 
All times were modern in the time of them, 
And this no more than others. Do thy part 
Here in the living day, as did the great 
Who made old days immortal. 

— Richard Watson Gilder. 

He who is false to present duty breaks a thread 
in the loom, and will find the flaw when he may 
have forgotten the cause. — Henry Ward Beecher. 

For use almost can change the stamp of nature, 
And master the devil, or throw him out 
With wondrous potency. 

— William Shakespeare. 

And when Daniel knew that the writing was 
signed, he went into his house (now his windows 
were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem;) and 
he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and 
prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did 
aforetime. — Daniel 6. 10. 

Heavenly Father, help me to get away from 
doubt that leads to despair. Give me a vision of 
hope that is stayed on faith. May I be conscious 
and appreciative of my privileges while they come 
to me and make them immortal. Amen. 



292 LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER SECOND 

Aristotle died B. C. 322. 
Major John Andre hanged 1780. 
William Ellery Charming died 1842. 



I am not earth-born, though I here delay; 

Hope's child, I summon infiniter powers, 
And laugh to see the mild sunny day 

Smile on the shrunk and thin autumnal hours; 
I laugh, for hope hath a happy place for me — 
If my bark sinks, 'tis to another sea. 

— William E. Channing. 



The stars shall fade away, the sun himself 
Grow dim with age, and Nature sink in years; 
But thou shall flourish in immortal youth, 
Unhurt amidst the war of elements, 
The wreck of matter and the crush of worlds. 

— Thomas Addison. 



For with thee is the fountain of life: 
In thy light shall we see light. 

—Psalm 36. 9. 



My Father, I would pray that my sense of gloom 
may not be more than thy grace. May the glorious 
light of thy love break through my disheartened 
soul, and reveal the sincerity of thy promises, that 
I may be happy in thy care. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 293 



OCTOBER THIRD 

Robert Barclay died 1690. 
George Bancroft born 1800. 
William Morris died 1896. 



Come hither, lads, and harken, 

For a tale there is to tell 
Of the wonderful days a-coming, 

When all shall be better than well. 

Come, then, let us cast off fooling, 

And put by ease and rest, 
For the cause alone is worthy 

Till the good days bring the best. 

— William Morris. 

Man's life is but a working day 

Whose tasks are set aright; 
A time to work, a time to pray, 

And then a quiet night. 
And then, please God, a quiet night 
Where palms are green and robes are white; 
A long-drawn breath, a balm for sorrow, 
And all things lovely on the morrow. 

— Christina G. Rossetti. 

And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and 
come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy 
shall be upon their heads. — Isaiah 51. 11. 



Heavenly Father, help me to see that before the 
night thou hadst planned the morning, and that 
thou hast never sent the night without the hope of 
the morning. Before I rest in the night may I be 
ready for the morning. Amen. 



294 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER FOURTH 

Francis of Assisi died 1226. 

Edmund Malone born 1741. 

Fran<;ois Guizot born 1787. 

Jean Francois Millet born 1814. 

Rutherford B. Hayes, Ohio, nineteenth President 

United States, born 1822. 
M. E. Braddon born 1837. 



We ought to rise day by day with a certain zest, 
a clear intention, a design to make the most of 
every hour; not to let the busy hours shoulder each 
other or tread on each other's heels, but to force 
every action to give up its strength and sweetness. 
There is work to be done, and there are empty 
hours to be filled as well. . . . But, most of all, 
there must be something to quicken, enliven, prac- 
tice the soul. — Arthur C. Benson. 



Men's souls ought to be left to see clearly; not 
jaundiced, blinded, twisted all awry, by revenge, 
moral abhorrence, and the like. — Thomas Carlyle. 



But there is a spirit in man, 

And the breath of the Almighty giveth them under- 
standing. 

—Job 32. 8. 

Spirit of life, I pray that thou wilt continually live 
within me. May my days be spent neither in waste 
nor idleness, but planned to use, with the best that 
is given me. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 295 



OCTOBER FIFTH 

| Jonathan Edwards born 1703. 
Denis Diderot born 1713. 
Horace Walpole born 1717. 
Nancy Hanks died 1818. 

Chester A. Arthur, Vermont, twenty-first President 

United States, born 1830. 
H. R. Guy de Maupassant born 1850. 



Earth gets its price for what earth gives us; 

The beggar is taxed for a corner to die in, 
The priest has his fee who comes and shrives us, 

We bargain for the graves we lie in; 
At the devil's booth are all things sold, 
Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold; 
For a cap and bells our lives we pay, 

Bubbles we buy with a whole soul's tasking; 
'Tis heaven alone that is given away, 

'Tis only God may be had for the asking. 

— James Russell Lowell. 



The free gift of God is eternal life. — Romans 6. 23. 



Gracious Father, may the world speak to me of 
thy gifts, and of the peace and power which it freely 
offers. May I not pass by thy great appeals, and 
prefer to purchase at a great cost my indolence and 
dissipation. Amen. 



296 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER SIXTH 

Jenny Lind Goldschmidt born 1820. 
Harriet G. Hosmer born 1830. 
Charles Stewart Parnell died 1891. 
Alfred Tennyson died 1892. 



The heart which boldly faces death 

Upon the battlefield, and dares 
Cannon and bayonet, faints beneath 

The needle-points of frets and cares. 
The stoutest spirits they dismay — 
The tiny stings of every day. 

Ah! more than martyr's aureole 
And more than hero's heart of fire, 

We need the humble strength of soul 
Which daily toils and ills require. 

Sweet patience, grant us, if you may 

An added grace for every day. 

— Adelaide A. Procter. 



Sunset and evening star, 

And one clear call for me! 
And may there be no moaning of the bar, 

When I put out to sea. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



Fret not thyself. — Proverbs 24. 19. 



My Father, I pray that I may not be dismayed 
over life, and its trifles. Help me to master difficul- 
ties great and small, and give me patience through 
all until I reach the untroubled way. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 297 



OCTOBER SEVENTH 

Sir Philip Sidney died 1586. 
Edgar Allan Poe died 1849. 
Oliver Wendell Holmes died 1894. 
Mary J. Holmes died 1907. 



Yet in opinions look not always back; 

Your wake is nothing, mind the coming track; 
Leave what you've done for what you have to do; 

Don't be "consistent," but be simply true. 

— Oliver Wendell Holmes. 



A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little 
minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers 
and divines. With consistency a great soul has 
nothing to do. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go 
forward. — Exodus 14. 15. 



Heavenly Father, I pray that I may not be so 
consistent in the small things of life that I will 
lose the great inspirations that come to the soul. 
Broaden my life, that I may have the freedom of 
heart and mind to pass over the failures and inter- 
ruptions, and with vigorous energy continue in the 
progress of life. Amen. 



298 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER EIGHTH 

Caroline Howard Gilman born 1794. 
Edmund Clarence Stedman born 1833. 
John Hay born 1838. 



He weren't no saint; them engineers 

Is pretty much alike — 
One wife in Natchez-under-the-Hill, 

Another one here in Pike; 
A keerless man in his talk was Jim, 

And an awkward hand in a row, 
But he never flunked, and he never lied — 

I reckon he never knowed how. 

— John Hay. 



He is brave whose tongue is silent 

Of the trophies of his word. 
He is great whose quiet bearing 

Marks his greatness well assured. 

— Edwin Arnold. 



The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with him- 
self, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of 
men. — Luke 18. 11. 



Lord God, thou knowest what I am and where I 
belong. Have mercy upon me and strengthen me, 
that I may not through weakness stay in the dark- 
ness. Lead me out into the light; and may I find my 
way and be contented with it. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 299 



OCTOBER NINTH 
Michael Cervantes born 1547. 

Jacques Auguste de Thuanus (De Thou) born 1553. 
Charles Camille Saint-Saens born 1835. 



I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea 

Come drifting home with broken masts and sails; 
I shall believe the Hand which never fails 

From seeming evil worketh good for me; 

And though I weep because those sails are battered, 

Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered, 
"I trust in Thee." 

—Ella Wheeler Wilcox. 1 



Cease every joy to glimmer on my mind. 
But leave, O leave the light of hope behind. 

— Thomas Campbell. 



Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; 

But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. 

—Proverbs 13. 12. 



Loving Father, help me to pass by my discourage- 
ments of yesterday and look into the hope of to-day. 
Make me more careful of my strength, and less for- 
getful of thy promises and of my trust. Amen. 



1 Special permission W. B. Conkey, Hammond, Indiana. Copyright 
1912. 



300 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TENTH 

Henry Cavendish born 1731. 
Benjamin West born 1738. 
Hugh Miller born 1802. 
Giuseppe Verdi born 1813. 
Fridtjof Nansen born 1861. 



We cannot make bargains for blisses, 

Nor catch them like fishes in nets; 
And sometimes the thing our life misses 

Helps more than the thing which it gets. 
For good lieth not in pursuing, 

Nor gaining of great nor small, 
But just in the doing and doing 

As we would be done by is all. 

— Alice Cary. 



True, it is most painful not to meet the kindness 
and affection you feel you have deserved, and have 
a right to expect from others; but it is a mistake to 
complain, for it is no use; you cannot extort friend- 
ship with a cocked pistol. — Sydney Smith. 



Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 

—Matthew 22. 39. 



Lord God, help me to understand that true affec- 
tion is not that which as it gives feels it merits 
return. May I avoid being selfish and stubborn; 
and with my affections give peace and joy. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 301 



OCTOBER ELEVENTH 

Sir Thomas Wyatt died 1542. 
Dr. Samuel Clarke born 1675. 
James Barry born 1741. 



Ask God to give thee skill 

In comfort's art, 
That thou may'st consecrated be 

And set apart, 
Unto a life of sympathy; 
For heavy is the weight of ill 

In every heart; 
And comforters are needed much 

Of Christlike touch. 

— Alexander Hamilton. 



The man who melts 

With social sympathy though not allied, 
Is than a thousand kinsmen of more worth. 

— Euripides. 

Who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we 
may be able to comfort them that are in any afflic- 
tion, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves 
are comforted of God. — 2 Corinthians 1. 4. 



Heavenly Father, thou hast made sympathy di- 
vine. May I never make it commonplace. Grant 
that as thou dost bless and comfort me I may 
be willing to comfort others, and do whatsoever 
thou wouldst have me do. Amen. 



302 LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWELFTH 

Columbus discovered x\merica 1492. 
Lyman Beecher born 1775. 
George W. Cable born 1844. 
Helena Modjeska born 1844. 



One poor day! 

Remember whose and how short it is! 
It is God's day, it is Columbus's. 
One day with life and heart is more than time 
enough to found a world. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

An illusion haunts us, that a long duration, as a 
year, a decade, a century, is valuable. But an old 
French sentence says, "God works in moments." 
We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life or grand 
moments that signify. Let the measure of Time be 
spiritual, not mechanical. Life is unnecessarily long. 
Moments of insight, of fine personal relation, a 
smile, a glance — what ample borrowers of eternity 
they are! — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, 
and a thousand years as one day. — 2 Peter 3. 8. 



My Father, I pray that when the "sun sets to-day 
my hope may not set with it." Be with me 
earlier than the dawn, that I may plan with thee a 
new day. I pray that thou wilt release me from 
anything that keeps me from reaching the highest. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 303 



OCTOBER THIRTEENTH 

Theodore Beza died 1605. 
Murat, King of Naples, shot 1815. 
Elizabeth Fry died 1845. 



What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted! 
Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just, 
And he but naked, though locked up in steel, 
Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted. 

—William Shakespeare. 



A man's accusations of himself are always be- 
lieved, his praises never. — Montaigne. 



Justice needs that two be heard. — From Goethe's 
Autobiography. 

That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, 
that thou mayest live. — Deuteronomy 16. 20. 



Lord of justice, if I may be influenced this morn- 
ing by doubt and am inclined to be resentful, wilt 
thou cause me to have a generous spirit and keep 
my faith. May I never descend to anything base 
or deceitful, but may I remember that if I lay down 
my life, I may have the power to take it up again. 
Amen. 



304 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER FOURTEENTH 

William Perm born 1644. 

James Fenimore Cooper died 1851. 

Duke of Wellington died 1852. 



Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee 
no good. If thou wouldst be happy, bring thy 
mind to thy condition, and have an indifferency for 
more than what is sufficient. — William Perm. 



The finest fruit earth holds up to its Maker is a 
finished man. — Humboldt. 



I considered Napoleon's presence in the field 
equal to forty men in the balance. 

— Duke of Wellington. 

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? 
And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 
For thou hast made him but little lower than God, 
And crownest him with glory and honor. 

— Psalm 8. 4, 5. 

Eternal God, may I know the value of the gift of 
life. May I think seriously of it, and not through 
abuse or neglect cripple it, remembering that it is 
mine to sow, to grow, and to reap. I pray that I 
may care more for the food and raiment of my soul 
than I care for the food and raiment of my body. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 805 



OCTOBER FIFTEENTH 

Virgil born B. C. 70. 
Evangelista Torricelli born 1608. 
Edward Fitzgerald born 1763. 



Being not unacquainted with woe, I learned to 
help the unfortunate. — Virgil. 



There are some hearts like wells green-mossed and 
deep 

As ever summer saw, 
And cool their water is, yea, cool and sweet; 

But you must come to draw. 
They hoard not, yet they rest in calm content, 

And not unsought will give; 
They can be quiet with their wealth unspent, 

So self-contained they live. 

— Author unknown. 

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I 
wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should 
be made sorry, but that ye might know the love 
which I have more abundantly unto you. 

— 2 Corinthians 2. 4. 



Gracious Father, help me to understand that 
while I may be content to rest with what I have 
gathered, I cannot preserve the strength of my 
soul unless I share my possessions. Give me a 
passion for humanity that will advance gifts through 
love, and offer service without the need of an ap- 
peal. Amen. 



306 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER SIXTEENTH 

Bishop Hugh Latimer burned at Oxford 1555. 
Albrecht von Haller born 1708. 
Noah Webster born 1758. 
Robert Stephenson born 1803. 



As ships meet at sea — a moment together, when 
words of greeting must be spoken, and then away 
upon the deep — so men meet in this world; and I 
think we should cross no man's path without hail- 
ing him, and if he needs, giving him supplies. 

— Henry Ward Beecher. 



Nothing is more unaccountable than the spell 
that often lurks in a spoken word. A thought may 
be present to the mind, and two minds conscious 
of the same thought, but as long as it remains un- 
spoken their familiar talk flows quietly over the 
hidden idea. — Nathaniel Hawthorne. 



And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye 
more than others? — Matthew 5. 47. 



Heavenly Father, I pray that thou wilt give me a 
generous heart. May I not lose sight of the truth, 
that thou hast made others to have the same needs 
and wants that I may have. May I not through 
pride or egoism fail to help, and neglecting to speak, 
miss an opportunity to assist. May I be self- 
forgetful in friendly service. Amen. 



] 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 307 



OCTOBER SEVENTEENTH 

Andreas Osiander died 1552. 
Frederic Chopin died 1849. 

Good name, in man or woman, dear my Lord, 
Is the immediate jewel of their souls; 
Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, 
nothing; 

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thou- 
sands; 

But he that filches from me my good name 
Robs me of that which not enriches him, 
And makes me poor indeed. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Keep back your tears when a soul is untrue; 
"Sorrow is shallow"; and one can wade through 
The mud and the marshes, and still endure 
If he finds he has kept his spirit pure. 

The rose near died when it fell to its lot 
To break its heart for forget-me-not; 
But after its heart was healed by the dew, 
Right by its side a sweet violet grew! 

— M. B. S. 

A good name is rather to be chosen than great 
riches, 

And loving favor rather than silver and gold. 

— Proverbs 22. 1. 

My Father, teach me the value of the possessions 
that can neither be handled nor seen; and may I 
not take them away from others. Help me to keep 
thy commandment "Thou shalt not steal," and in- 
terpret it in all its relations to life. Amen. 



308 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER EIGHTEENTH 

Matthew Henry born 1662. 
Margaret (Peg) Woffington born 1720. 
Helen Hunt Jackson born 1831. 
Frederick Harrison born 1831. 



Yet I argue not against heaven's hand or will, nor 
bate a jot of heart of hope; but still bear up and 
steer right onward. — John Milton. 



Write it on your heart that every day is the best 
day in the year. No man has learned anything 
rightly until he knows that every day is doomsday. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



He mourns that day so soon has glided by: 
E'en like the passage of an angel's tear 
That falls through the clear ether silently. 

— John Keats. 



I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which 

thou shalt go: 
I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee. 

—Psalm 32. 8. 



My Father, if I may be living in bad habits, help 
me to get out of them. If I may be neglectful of 
good deeds, help me to get at them. May I reach 
for the highest purposes as I search for the realities, 
and may I not delay, but start to-day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 309 



OCTOBER NINETEENTH 

! Dean (Jonathan) Swift died 1745. 
Leigh Hunt born 1784. 
Henry Kirke White died 1806. 



Don't look too hard except for something agree- 
j able; we can find all the disagreeable things we 
| want, between our own hats and boots. 

— Leigh Hunt. 



Instead of a gem or a flower, cast the gift of a 
lovely thought into the heart of a friend. 

— George Macdonald. 

For the want of common discretion the very end 
of good breeding is wholly perverted; and civility, 
intended to make us easy, is employed in laying 
chains and fetters upon us, in debarring our wishes, 
and in crossing our most reasonable desires and 
inclinations. — Jonathan Swift. 



If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at 
peace with all men. — Romans 12. 18. 



My Lord, help me to adjust my life to what I 
ought to be, rather than be content in what I am. 
May I not spend my time in dreaming of obstacles, 
or searching for things that hurt, but may I be 
gentle and kind, and as I see the truth speak for it 
and follow it. Amen. 



310 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWENTIETH 

Sir Christopher Wren born 1632. 
Thomas Hughes born 1823. 
Charles Dudley Warner died 1900. 



There has always seemed to me something impious 
in the neglect of health. I could not do half the 
good I do if it were not for the strength and activity 
some consider coarse and degrading. 

— Charles Kingsley. 

To keep well drink often, but water; 
Eat not that which makes life shorter; 
But first, with all your might and skill, 
Just chain your habits to your will. 

— M. B. S. 

I will be lord over myself. No one who cannot 
master himself is worthy to rule, and only he can 
rule. — Goethe. 



Know ye not that your body is a temple of the 
Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from 
God?— 1 Corinthians 6. 19. 



Lord God, may I not wait until I am afflicted and 
cannot use them to thank thee for my blessings. 
Guard me against infirmities that are brought on 
through indulgences, and help me to control my 
life. May I never forget that regret will not re- 
trieve the life that is spent, even if it brings forgive- 
ness and hope for the days to come. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 311 



OCTOBER TWENTY-FIRST 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge born 1772. 
Alphonse Lamartine born 1790. 
Samuel F. Smith born 1808. 
Will Carleton born 1845. 



He prayeth best who loveth best 
All things both great and small; 

For the dear God who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all. 

— Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 

We thank thee, O Father, for all that is bright — 
The gleam of the day and the stars of the night, 
The flowers of our youth and the fruits of our prime, 
And the blessings that march down the pathway of 
time. 

—Will Carleton. 

Thanklessness is a parching wind, drying up the 
fountain of pity, the dew of mercy, the streams of 
grace. For doth not that rightly seem to be lost 
which is given to one ungrateful? — Saint Bernard. 



O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; 
For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. 

—Psalm 136. 1. 

My Father, help me to understand that I cannot 
have self-development unless the spirit of truth 
drills my character. Cleanse my heart from all 
impurity, and strengthen me for all usefulness: 
help me to daily live this prayer. Amen. 



312 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWENTY-SECOND 

Charles Martel died 741. 
Franz Liszt born 1811. 
George Eliot born 1819. 
Sarah Bernhardt born 1844. 



O may I join the choir invisible 

Of those immortal dead who live again 

In minds made better by their presence: live 

In pulses stirred to generosity, 

In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn 

For miserable aims that end with self, 

In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars, 

And with their mild persistence urge man's search 

To vaster issues. 

This is life to come, 
Which martyred men have made more glorious 
For us to strive to follow. May I reach 
That purest heaven, be to other souls 
The cup of strength in some great agony, 
Enkindle generous ardor, feed pure love, 
Beget the smiles that have no cruelty, 
Be the sweet presence of a good diffused, 
And in diffusion ever more intense! 
So shall I join the choir invisible 
Whose music is the gladness of the world. 

— George Eliot. 

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall 
never perish. — John 10. 28. 



My Father, I pray that I may be more generous 
with my smiles and gladness, and more saving w^ith 
my tears and sadness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 313 



OCTOBER TWENTY-THIRD 

Anne Oldfield died 1730. 
Robert Bridges born 1844. 
Mollie Elliot Seawell born 1860. 

O youth whose hope is high, 

Who doth to truth aspire, 
Whether thou live or die, 

O look not back nor tire. 

Thou that art bold to fly 

Through tempest, flood and fire, 

Nor dost not shrink to try 
Thy heart in torments dire — 

If thou canst Death defy, 

If thy faith is entire, 
Press onward, for thine eye 

Shall see thy heart's desire. 

— Robert Bridges. 

Doubt indulged becomes doubt realized. 

To determine to do anything is half the battle. 

Courage is victory, timidity is defeat. 

— Nelson. 

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, 
neither be afraid of their words, though briers and 
thorns are with thee, and thou dost dwell among 
scorpions. — Ezekiel 2. 6. 

Gracious Father, try me again by the courage I 
have to-day, if thou art judging me by the fear I 
held yesterday. Help me to see that wavering is 
misleading and temperament is deceptive. May I 
learn self-control. Amen. 



314 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWENTY-FOURTH 

Hugh Capet died 996. 

Sir Moses Montefiore born 1784. 

Daniel Webster died 1852. 



Exceeding peace made Ben Adhem bold, 
And to the presence in the room he said, 
"What writes t thou?" The vision raised its head, 
And, with a look made of all sweet accord, 
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." 
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," 
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, 
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then, 
Write me as one that loves his fellow men." 

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night 
It came again, with a great awakening light, 
And showed the names whom love of God had 
blessed — 

And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest! 

— Leigh Hunt. 



Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will 
show thee great things. — Jeremiah 33. 3. 



Lord God, may I keep within my heart that secret 
sympathy that adds to the power of life. Help me 
to seek the things that are real, and not be deceived 
by the things which only appear to be. May all 
with whom I have to do feel the better for my 
companionship. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 315 



OCTOBER TWENTY-FIFTH 

| Geoffrey Chaucer died 1400. 

j William Hogarth died 1764. 

I George W. Faber born 1773. 

| Thomas B. Macaulay born 1800. 



Wav'ring as winds the breath of fortune blows, 
No power can turn it, and no prayers compose. 
Deep in some hermit's solitary cell, 
Repose, and ease, and contemplation dwell. 
Let conscience guide thee in the days of need, 
Judge well thy own, and then thy neighbor's deed. 

— Geoffrey Chaucer. 

To every man upon this earth 
Death cometh soon or late; 
And how can man die better 

Than facing fearful odds, 
For the ashes of his fathers 

And the temples of his gods. 

— Thomas B. Macaulay. 

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom 
for many —Matthew 20. 28. 



Heavenly Father, help me to remember that I am 
to cover life's journey, even though I may go the 
way carelessly and aimlessly. May I make an esti- 
mate of what I am losing, by waiting so long at the 
resting places, 'Tor the road winds up hill all the 
way to the end, and the journey takes the whole 
day long, from morn to night." Amen. 



316 LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWENTY-SIXTH 

Dr. Philip Doddridge died 1751. 
Count Von Moltke born 1800. 
Elizabeth Cady Stanton died 1902. 



One of the notable eddies of the present-day 
world currents is what has been loosely called the 
"Woman Movement." The sensitive and vicarious 
spirit of womanhood has been enlisted for service in 
behalf of those who have been denied a fair chance, 
or who are the victims of oppression, greed, and 
ignorance. — William T. Ellis. 



And whether consciously or not, you must be in 
many a heart enthroned: queens you must always 
be: queens to your lovers; queens to your husbands 
and sons; queens of higher mystery to the world be- 
yond, which bows itself, and w^ill forever bow, before 
the myrtle crown, and the stainless scepter of 
womanhood. — John Ruskin. 



O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee 
even as thou wilt. — Matthew 15. 28. 



Lord and Master of all, I pray that thou wilt 
make me see through my prejudices and beyond my 
desires to the very "top of my condition." May I 
not wait for places or circumstances that are dimly 
in the distance or that are near at hand, but ac- 
complish the work I should do to-day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 317 



OCTOBER TWENTY-SEVENTH 

| James Cook born 1728. 

I Nicolo Paganini born 1782. 

I Theodore Roosevelt, New York, twenty-fifth Presi- 
I dent United States, born 1858. 



The vice of envy is not only a dangerous, but a 
j mean vice; for it is always a confession of in- 
feriority. It may promote conduct which will be 
fruitful of wrong to others, and it must cause misery 
to the man who feels it. — Theodore Roosevelt. 

I 

Of all the passions, jealousy is that which exacts 
the hardest service, and pays the bitterest wages. 
Its service is to watch the success of one's enemy; its 
wages to be sure of it. — C. C. Colton. 



Dear to me is the friend, yet I can also make use 
of an enemy. The friend shows me what I can do, 
the foe teaches me what I should. — Schiller. 



Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one 
another. — Galatians 5. 26. 



Almighty God, I would ask thee that my days be 
filled with aspiration, and that my heart may know 
no envy. Help me to love humanity. May I be so 
glad of the success of others that I may never know 
what it is to be envious. Amen. 



318 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Desiderius Erasmus born 1465. 

John Locke died 1704. 

Georges Jacques Danton born 1759. 



Not so in haste, my heart! 

Have faith in God and wait; 
Although he linger long, 

He never comes too late. 

Until he cometh, rest, 

Nor grudge the hours that roll; 
The feet that wait for God 

Are soonest at the goal; 

Are soonest at the goal 

That is not gained by speed; 
Then hold thee still, my heart, 

For I shall wait his lead. 

— Bayard Taylor. 



It is good that a man should hope and quietly 
wait for the salvation of Jehovah. 

— Lamentations 3. 26. 



Lord of life, may I pause to remember that rest 
may not be obtained with wretched thoughts, nor 
can it be enjoyed in discontent. In my moments of 
rest wilt thou show me how to relax, and with tran- 
quillity may I gather hope for renewed ambition. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 319 



OCTOBER TWENTY-NINTH 

Sir Walter Raleigh beheaded 1618, 
James Boswell born 1740. 
John Keats born 1795. 
Thomas Bayard born 1828. 
Thomas Edward Brown died 1897. 



Rise, O my soul, with thy desires to heaven, 
And with divinest contemplation use 

Thy time where time's eternity is given, 

And let vain thoughts no more thy thoughts 
abuse; 

But down in darkness let them lie: 

So live thy better, let thy worse thoughts die ! 

— Sir Walter Raleigh. 

The great elements we know of are no mean com- 
forters; the open sky sits upon our senses like a 
sapphire crown — the air is our robe of state, the 
Earth is our throne, and the Sea a mighty minstrel 
playing before it. 

— John Keats. 



Ah Lord Jehovah! behold, thou hast made the 
heavens and the earth by thy great power and by 
thine outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard 
for thee. — Jeremiah 32. 17. 



Almighty God, I thank thee for the power that 
gives me the breath of life. May I be willing to be 
controlled by its guiding care. Amen. 



320 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



OCTOBER THIRTIETH 

Rev. John Whitaker died 1808. 

John Adams, Massachusetts, second President 

United States, born 1735. 
Adelaide Anne Procter born 1825. 



And yet thou canst know, 

And yet thou canst not see; 
Wisdom and sight are slow 

In poor humanity. 
If thou couldst trust, poor soul, 
In Him who rules the whole, 
Thou wouldst find peace and rest; 
Wisdom and right are well, but trust is best. 

— Adelaide Anne Procter. 

The heart to speak in vain essayed, 
Nor could his purpose reach — 

His will nor voice nor tongue obeyed, 
His silence was his speech. 

— John Quincy Adams. 

But still believe that story wrong 
Which ought not to be true. 

— Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 

Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his 
trust. — Psalm 40. 4. 



My Father, may I not be given to unkindly 
speech. Deliver me from a critical spirit; and may 
I not encourage mistrust, but cultivate the kindly 
considerations in which life abounds. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 321 



OCTOBER THIRTY-FIRST 

All Hallow's Eve. 
John Evelyn born 1620. 
Christopher Anstey born 1724. 

Ere, in the northern gale 

The summer tresses of the trees are gone, 
The woods of autumn, all around our vale, 

Have put their glory on. 

The mountains that unfold, 

In their wide sweep, the colored landscape round, 
Seem groups of giant kings, in purple and gold, 

That guard the enchanted ground. 

Ah ! 'twere a lot too blessed 

Forever in thy colored shades to stray; 
Amid the kisses of the soft southwest 

To rove and dream for aye; 

And leave the vain low strife 

That makes men mad; the tug for wealth and 
power, 

The passions and the cares that wither life, 
And waste its little hour. 

— William Cullen Bryant. 

Let the field exult, and all that is therein; 
Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy. 

—Psalm 96. 12. 

My Father, may I have an appreciation of the 
wonderful creations of the earth. Give me a dis- 
criminating eye, that I may know the precious 
things that thou art growing; and throughout my life 
may I love the beautiful, and choose that which will 
make my life worthy of growth. Amen. 



322 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER 

Who said November's face was grim? 

Who said her voice was harsh and sad? 
I heard her sing in wood paths dim, 

I met her on the shore so glad, 
So smiling, I could kiss her feet! 
There never was a month so sweet. 

— Lucy Larcom. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 323 



NOVEMBER FIRST 

Sir Matthew Hale born 1609. 
William M. Chase born 1849. 
Sir Robert Grant died 1892. 



O worship the King, all glorious above, 
O gratefully sing his power and his love; 
Our Shield and Defender, the ancient of days, 
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? 
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; 
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, 
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 

— Robert Grant. 



Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your 
God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and 
that it may be well with you, and that ye may pro- 
long your days in the land which ye shall possess. 

— Deuteronomy 5. 33. 



Almighty God, help me to make my life refulgent 
while I have the abundance of summer, that I may 
not find the November of life bleak and barren. 
Help me to live in the realities of life, that I may 
gain energy and repose, to use for the lonesome and 
anxious hours. May I be watchful for the condi- 
tions that thwart life, and with patience wait for the 
awakening of truth. Amen, 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER SECOND 

Marie Antoinette born 1755. 
Field-Marshal Radetzky born 1766. 
James Knox Polk, North Carolina, eleventh Presi- 
dent United States, born 1795. 



Overmastering pain — the most deadly and tragi- 
cal element in life — alas! pain has its own way with 
all of us; it breaks in, a rude visitant, upon the fairy 
garden where the child wanders in a dream, no less 
surely than it rules upon the field of battle, or sends 
the immortal war-god whimpering to his father; and 
innocence, no more than philosophy, can protect us 
from this sting. — Robert Louis Stevenson. 



My hopes retire; my wishes as before 

Struggle to find their resting place in vain; 

The ebbing sea thus beats against the shore; 
The shore repels it; it returns again. 

— W. S. Landor. 

Yet Jehovah will command his loving-kindness in 

the day-time, 
And in the night his song shall be with me. 

—Psalm 42. 8. 

Loving Father, I bless thee for thy goodness and 
tender mercy which is over all. May I trust thy 
provision and love through all circumstances, and 
as I trust myself to thee may I have faith to believe 
that thou wilt give me strength for what I may 
have to endure, and believe that thou wilt care for 
me, as thou dost care for all. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 325 



NOVEMBER THIRD 

Lucan born A. D. 39. 
William Cullen Bryant born 1794. 
Francis D. Millet born 1846. 
John Watson (Ian Maclaren) born 1850. 
Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie (John Oliver Hobbes) 
born 1867. 



Whither, midst falling dew, 

While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, 
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue 

Thy solitary way! 

Vainly the fowler's eye 

Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, 
As, darkly painted on the crimson sky, 

Thy figure floats along. 

He who, from zone to zone, 

Guides through the boundless sky thy certain 
flight, 

In the long way that I must tread alone, 
Will lead my steps aright. 

— William Cullen Bryant. 

For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the 
Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over. 

— Joshua 4. 23. 

Almighty God, help me to guard against grati- 
fication that leads to disappointment, that I may 
not miss the true way. I pray that thou wilt lift me 
in my weakness, and carry me over the rough and 
discouraging places, that I may be made strong in 
thy loving care, and be able to continue alone. 
Amen. 



326 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER FOURTH 

Guido Reni born 1575. 
James Montgomery born 1771. 
Edmund Keane born 1787. 
Ernest Howard Crosby born 1856. 
Eugene Field died 1895. 



Keep me, I pray, in wisdom's way, 
That I may truths eternal seek; 

I need protecting care to-day — 

My purse is light, my flesh is weak. 

— Eugene Field. 



No one could tell me where my Soul might be. 

I searched for God, but God eluded me. 

I sought my brother out, and found all three. 

— Ernest H. Crosby. 



In all thy ways acknowledge him, 
And he will direct thy paths. 

— Proverbs 3. 6. 



My Father, may I not face the going down of the 
sun to-day, looking at life, in a mirror that reflects 
my own privileges and prejudices, but may I see it 
as it is, known to those who are living to make it 
better. May the days to come prove my sincerity 
in wanting the truth that I might live by it, and 
help to do good with it. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 327 



NOVEMBER FIFTH 

Hans Sachs born 1494. 
Dr. John Brown born 1715. 
Benjamin Butler born 1818. 



The thing that goes the farthest 

Toward making life worth while, 
That costs the least, and does the most, 

Is just a pleasant smile. 
That smile that bubbles from a heart 

That loves its fellow men 
Will drive away the cloud of gloom 

And coax the sun again. 

— Anonymous. 



One whom I knew intimately, and whose memory 
I revere, once in my hearing remarked that, "Un- 
less we love people we cannot understand them." 
This was a new light to me. — Christina G. Rossetti. 



Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; 
So doth the sweetness of a man's friend that com- 
eth of hearty counsel. 

— Proverbs 27. 9. 



Lord God, I pray that I may be worthy of my 
friends. May I not fear to go where I am called, 
and may I go cheerfully, even though the way be 
dark and lonesome. Amen. 



328 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER SIXTH 

James Gregory born 1638. 

John Bright born 1811. 

Sir George Williams died 1905. 



Look full into thy spirit's self, 

The world of mystery scan; 
What if thy way to faith in God 

Should lie through faith in man? 

— John Bright. 



Blessed are they who have the gift of making 
friends, for it is one of God's best gifts. It involves 
many things, but above all, the power of going out 
of oneself and seeing and appreciating whatever is 
noble and loving in another. — Thomas Hughes. 



Be perfected; be comforted; be of the same mind; 
live in peace: and the God of love and peace shall 
be with you. — 2 Corinthians 13. 11. 



Lord God, I earnestly entreat thee to show me if 
I may be cramping the happiness in another's life 
by forcing in my selfishness and demands. May I 
understand that perfect gifts are those that come 
through loving sacrifice. Make me ashamed to ask 
for what I refuse or prefer not to give. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 329 



NOVEMBER SEVENTH 

I Sir Martin Frobisher died 1594. 
William Stukeley born 1687. 

Friedrich Leopold, Count von Stolberg, born 1750. 



| Once to every man and nation comes the moment 
to decide, 

! In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good 
or evil side; 

Some great cause, God's new Messiah offering each 

the bloom or blight, 
Parts the goats upon the left hand, and the sheep 

upon the right; 
And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness 

and that light. 

— James Russell Lowell. 

; r . ^ ".^ ■ \* ' / ' . ^ 1C ( \ ' ' 

We cannot command veracity at will; the power 
of seeing and reporting truly is a form of health that 
has to be delicately guarded, and as an ancient rabbi 
has solemnly said, "The penalty of untruth is un- 
truth."— George Eliot. 



Behold, this only have I found: that God made 
man upright; but they have sought out many in- 
ventions. — Ecclesiastes 7. 29. 



My Father, help me to speak the truth and guard 
| the truth, that righteousness may be an abiding 
influence in my life. Amen. 

i 

1 1 « 
I 



330 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER EIGHTH 

Edmund Halley born 1656. 
John Milton died 1674. 

Owen Meredith (Bulwer Edward Lytton) born 1831. 



The morning drum-call on my eager ear 
Thrills unforgotten yet! the morning dew 
Lies yet undried along my field of noon. 
But now I pause a while in what I do, 
And count the bell, and tremble lest I hear 
(My work untrimmed) the sunset gun too soon. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 

I fear 

Life's many changes, not Death's changelessness. 

So perfect is this moment's passing cheer, 

I needs must tremble lest it pass to less. 

Thus in fickle love of life I live, 

Lest fickle life me of my love deprive. 

— Owen Meredith. 



And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Get thee up; 
wherefore art thou thus fallen upon thy face? 

Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify your- 
selves against to-morrow. 

—Joshua 7. 10, 13. 

Almighty God, help me in these fleeting days 
that I may not use my time to consider and hesi- 
tate, but be positive in my desires and pursue 
them. Grant that I may have the strength to hold 
each day precious, and live it more than consist- 
ently. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 331 



NOVEMBER NINTH 

Mark Akenside born 1721. 
William Sotheby born 1757. 
Charles F. Thwing born 1853. 



The victor's road is the easy way. 

Straight it stretches and climbs to where 
Fame is waiting with garlands gay 

To wreathe the fighter who clambers there. 
There's applause in plenty and gold's red gleam 
For the man who plays on the winning team. 

The loser travels a longer lane; 

Level it leads to a lonely land. 
There's little glory for him to gain 

The voices mock him on either hand; 
But the man who wins in the greater game 
Is the man who, beaten, fights on the same. 

— G. Rice. 

The hero is not fed on sweets, 
Daily his own heart he eats; 
Chambers of the great are jails, 
And head-winds right for royal sails. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

He thanked God, and took courage. — Acts 28. 15. 



O Lord, I pray that whether I may be successful 
in the sight of the world, or whether I may be suc- 
cessful in my own sacrifices, I may have the 
freedom of courage, and be master of my life. 
Amen. 



332 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TENTH 

Martin Luther born 1483. 
William Hogarth born 1697. 
Oliver Goldsmith born 1728. 
Johann von Schiller born 1759. 
Joaquin Miller born 1841. 
Henry van Dyke born 1852. 

As faith, so is God. — Martin Luther. 

Learn the luxury of doing good. 

— Oliver Goldsmith. 

Love is the ladder by which we climb up to the 
likeness of God. — Johann von Schiller. 

And who will walk a mile with me 
Along life's weary way? 

A friend whose heart has eyes to see 

The stars shine out o'er the darkening lea, 
And the quiet rest at the end of the day— 
A friend who knows and dares to say, 
The brave sweet words that cheer the way 

Where he walks a mile with me. 

— Henry van Dyke. 

And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, 
go with him two. — Matthew 5. 41. 

My Father, may I not dwell in the appearances 
of life, where I may grow selfish; but live in the 
realities of simplicity. May I not only seek those 
who may return me pleasure, but may I find de- 
light in brightening the walk of a weary friend. 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 



NOVEMBER ELEVENTH 

Alfred de Musset born 1810. 
Thomas Bailey Aldrich born 1836. 
Rev. Joshua Brookes died 1821. 



I'll not confer with Sorrow 

Till to-morrow, 
But joy shall have her way 

This very day. 

— Thomas Bailey Aldrich. 



Shall we have ears on the stretch for the footfalls 
of sorrow that never come, but be deaf to the whirr 
of the wings of happiness that fill all space? 

— Maurice Maeterlinck. 



This day is a day of good tidings, and we hold 
our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, pun- 
ishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let 
us go and tell the king's household. — 2 Kings 7. 9. 



Loving Father, I pray that thou wilt help me to 
overcome unhappiness. May I not let depression 
overpower me, but claim the promises of joy that 
are open to every life. May I be blest by my own 
cheerfulness and encourage others to possess it. 
Amen. 



334 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TWELFTH 

Saint Augustine died A. D. 354. 
Richard Baxter born 1615. 
Amelia Opie born 1769. 
Elizabeth Cady Stanton born 1815. 
Thomas Lord Fairfax died 1671. 



In life it is difficult to say who do you the most 
mischief — enemies with the worst intentions or 
friends with the best. — Edward Bulwer. 



The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, 
Grapple them to thy soul with hooks of steel. 

— William Shakespeare. 

Where persons who ought to esteem and love 
each other are kept asunder, as often happens, by 
some cause which three words of frank explanation 
would remove, they are fortunate if they possess 
an indiscreet friend who blurts out the whole truth. 

— Thomas B. Macaulay. 

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, 

Who did eat of my bread, 

Hath lifted up his heel against me. 

—Psalm 41. 9. 

Lord God, help me to consider more carefully 
what I offer to my friends; and may I not be critical 
of what I receive from my friends. May I not be a 
hindrance instead of a help to those who would 
have my companionship. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 335 



NOVEMBER THIRTEENTH 

Sir John Moore born 1761. 
j Robert Louis Stevenson born 1850. 
Sir John Forbes died 1861. 



Little do we know our own blessedness; for to 
travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, 
and the True Success is to labor. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



Whether thy work be fine or coarse, planting 
corn or writing epics, so only it be honest work, 
done to thine own approbation, it shall earn a reward 
to sense as well as to the thought. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

Nature gives to labor; and to labor alone. In 
a very garden of Eden a man would starve but for 
human exertion. — Henry George. 



But let each man prove his own work, and then 
shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, 
and not of his neighbor. — Galatians 6. 4. 



My Father, make pure living clear to me, that 
I may not be deceived in my work; and may I 
not use my working hours searching for more suit- 
able work, but may I be sure in what I am that I 
may feel secure in what I undertake to do. Amen, 



336 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER FOURTEENTH 

Bishop Hoadley born 1676. 

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel born 1805. 

Robert Smythe Hichens born 1864. 



Give us, O give us, the man who sings at his 
work! Be his occupation what it may, he is better 
than any of those who follow the same pursuit in 
silent sullenness. — Thomas Carlyle. 



What doctor possesses such curative resources as 
those latent in a single ray of hope? The main- 
spring of life is in the heart. Joy is the vital air of 
the soul, and grief is a kind of asthma complicated 
by atony. — Amiel. 



I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live: 

I will sing praise to my God w T hile I have any being. 

—Psalm 104. 33. 



Loving Father, restore the spirit of gentleness and 
meekness if it may be withered within me, that I 
may be contented. May I make it a habit to be 
happy over my w r ork and cheerful about my duties. 
May I never lose the view of the glory of thy king- 
dom. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 337 



NOVEMBER FIFTEENTH 

I William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, born 1708. 
William Cowper born 1731. 
Sir William Herschel born 1738. 
Johann Lavater born 1741. 
Richard Henry Dana born 1787. 
Ida Tarbell born 1857. • 



The parting sun sends out a glow 

Across the placid bay, 
Touching with glory all the show— 

A breeze! Up helm! Away! 

Careening to the wind, they reach, 
With laugh and call, the shore. 

They've left their footprints on the beach, 
But them I hear no more. 

— Richard Henry Dana. 

Art little? Do thy little well : 

And for thy comfort know 
The great can do their greatest work 

No better than just so. 

— Goethe. 

But be thou an ensample to them that believe, in 
word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. 

—1 Timothy 4. 12. 

Lord God, grant that if I may be complaining of 
what Providence has not sent me, I may not 
be neglecting what Providence has given me. May 
I not pause too long over what I have done, or over 
what I might have done, but may I be appreciative 
of what thou dost expect of me and endeavor to 
accomplish it. Amen. 



338 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER SIXTEENTH 

Tiberius born B. C. 42. 
Gustavus Adolphus killed 1632. 
Francis Danby born 1793. 



Judge not the workings of his brain 
And of his heart thou canst not see; 

What looks to thy dim eyes a stain 
In God's pure light may only be 

A scar, brought from some well-won field, 
Where thou would'st only faint and yield. 

And judge none lost; but wait and see, 

With hopeful pity, not disdain; 
The depth of the abyss may be 

The measure of the height of pain 
And love and glory that may raise 

The soul to God in after days! 

— Adelaide A. Procter. 



I am more afraid of deserving criticism, than of 
receiving it. — William Gladstone. 



Judge not, that ye be not judged. — Matthew 7. 1. 



Lord Jehovah, judge of all mankind, forbid that I 
should set myself as a judge of another's life, and 
neglect to live for the higher judgment of my own. 
May I not be absorbed in that w^hich thrives in 
darkness, but live in the light of honesty and gen- 
tleness. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 339 



NOVEMBER SEVENTEENTH 

Queen Mary of England died 1558. 
Joost van den Vondel born 1587. 
George Grote born 1794. 



There are evergreen men and women in the 
world, praise be to God! — not many of them, but a 
few. They are not the showy folk. (Nature is an 
old-fashioned shopkeeper; she never puts her best 
goods in the window.) They are only the quiet, 
strong folk; they are stronger than Fate. The 
storms of life sweep over them, and the biting 
frosts creep round them; but the winds and the 
frosts pass away, and they are still standing, green 
and straight. — Jerome K. Jerome. 



And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of 
water, 

That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, 

Whose leaf also doth not wither; 

And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

—Psalm 1. 3. 



Gracious Lord, may I not spend most in equip- 
ment and forget the tides, which may desert me on 
the sands, or the rocks in the channels, which may 
crush the finest vessel. May I be prepared for the 
hard knocks if they come, but may I know how to 
keep clear of them. Amen. 



340 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER EIGHTEENTH 

Sir David Wilkie born 1785. 
Louis J. M. Daguerre born 1789. 
Cyrus Field born 1819. 
William S. Gilbert born 1836. 



If e'er when man had fallen asleep, 
I heard a voice, 6 'Believe no more," 
A warmth within the breast would melt 
The freezing reason's colder part, 
And like a man in wrath, the heart 
Stood up and answered, "I have felt." 

— Alfred Tennyson. 



Faith is the deep want of the soul. We have 
faculties for the spiritual, as truly as for the outward 
world. God, the foundation of all existence, may 
become to the mind the most real of all beings. The 
believer feels himself resting on an everlasting foun- 
dation. — William Henry Channing. 



And they said one to another, Was not our heart 
burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, 
while he opened to us the scriptures? — Luke 24. 32. 



Lord God, save me from a hard and doubting 
heart. May I be trustful and come to thee in faith. 
All the days of my life may my lips sing thy praise 
as I unfold thy love and purposes. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 341 



NOVEMBER NINETEENTH 

Nicolas Poussin died 1665. 

Albert Thorwaldsen born 1770. 

James A. Garfield, Ohio, twentieth President United 

States, born 1831. 
Mary Hallock Foote born 1847. 
Count Lyoff (Leo) Tolstoy died 1910. 

And son I live, you see, 
Go through the world, try, prove, reject, 
Prefer, still struggling to effect 
My warfare; happy that I can 
Be crossed and thwarted as a man, 
Not left in God's contempt apart, 
With ghastly smooth life, 1 dead at heart, 
Tame in earth's paddock, as her prize. 

— Robert Browning. 

Be good at the depths of you, andfyou will dis- 
cover that those who surround you will be good 
even to the same depths. Therein lies a force that 
has no name; a spiritual rivalry that has no re- 
sistance. — Maurice Maeterlinck. 

First of all, I must make myself a man; if I do not 
succeed in that, I can succeed in nothing. 

— James A. Garfield. 

That we may be no longer children, tossed to and 
fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, 
by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles 
of error. — Ephesians 4. 14. 

Eternal God, I thank thee for all the sterling 
elements that greaten the individual life. I pray 
that I may not desire to be kept a small creature, 
but seek to grow in wisdom and love, and qualify 
for mighty purposes and achievements. Amen. 



342 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TWENTIETH 

Paul Potter born 1625. 
Thomas Chatterton born 1752. 
William Ellery Channing born 1818. 
Sir Wilfred Laurier born 1841. 

Then why, my soul, dost thou complain? 

Why drooping seek the dark recess? 
Shake off the melancholy chain, 

For God created all to bless. 

The gloomy mantle of the night, 

Which on my sinking spirits steals, 
Will vanish at the morning light, 

Which God, my East, my Sun, reveals. 

— Thomas Chatterton. 
Lady, there is a hope that all men have — 
Some mercy for their faults, a grassy place 
To rest in, and a flower-strown, gentle grave: 
Another hope which purifies our race, 
That when that fearful bourne forever past, 
They may find rest — and rest so long to last. 

I seek it not, I ask no rest forever, 

My path is onward to the farthest shores. 

— William Ellery Channing. 
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of 

the miry clay; 
And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my 
goings. 

And he put a new song in my mouth. 

—Psalm 40. 2, 3. 

My Father, I pray that I may have patience to 
live through the difficulties of life. May I correct 
my faults, that they may not destroy my peace 
and take from me my strength; help me to center 
my life in brightness and hope. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 343 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-FIRST 
Claude Lorraine died 1682. 

Bryan Waller Procter (Barry Cornwall) born 1787. 
Mary Johnston born 1870. 



There is not a creature from England's king 
To the peasant that delves the soil, 

Who knows half the pleasures the seasons bring 
If he had not his share of toil. 

— Barry Cornwall. 



It may be proved, with much certainty, that God 
intends no man to live in this world without work- 
ing; but it seems to me no less evident that he 
intends every man to be happy in his work. Now, 
in order that people may be happy in their work, 
these three things are needed: they must be fit for 
it; and they must not do too much of it; and they 
must have a sense of success in it. — John Ruskin. 



Let him labor, working with his hands the thing 
that is good, that he may have whereof to give to 
him that hath need. — Ephesians 4. 28. 



My Father, if my work seems hard to-day, may I 
not cease working if I grow weary, but may my 
strength be renewed to continue my work. May the 
aim of my work be to please thee, and to help in 
the progress of humanity. Amen. 



344 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-SECOND 

Saint Cecilia martyred A. D. 230. 
Sir Henry Havelock died 1857. 
Justin McCarthy born 1830. 



Sometimes the sun, unkindly hot, 
My garden makes a desert spot, 
Sometimes a blight upon the tree 
Takes all my fruit away from me; 
And then with throes of bitter pain 
Rebellious passions rise and swell; 
And so I sing and all is well. 

— Paul Laurence Dunbar. 

Such songs have power to quiet 

The restless pulse of care, 
And come like benediction 

That follows after prayer. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 

Songs consecrate to truth and liberty. 

— Percy Bysshe Shelley. 

David took the harp, and played with his hand: 
so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil 
spirit departed from him. — 1 Samuel 16. 23. 



Almighty God, I thank thee that thou wilt come 
to me as my heart cries for need. I bless thee that 
thou dost come to me as my lips sing thy praise. I 
pray that I may be saved from a cruel and cheerless 
heart, and be a sharer of the songs that are sung to 
the soul. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 345 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-THIRD 
Thomas Tallis died 1585. 

Franklin Pierce, New Hampshire, fourteenth Presi- 
dent United States, born 1804. 
Marie Bashkirtseff born I860. 



Asleep, awake, by night or day, 
The friends I seek are seeking me; 

No word can drive my bark astray, 
Nor change the tide of destiny. 

The stars come nightly to the sky, 

The tidal wave unto the sea; 
Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high, 

Can keep my own away from me. 

— John Burroughs. 

If a man could make a single rose we would give 
him an empire; yet flowers no less beautiful are 
scattered in profusion over the world, and no one 
regards them. — Martin Luther. 



Let patience have its perfect work. — James 1. 4. 



My Creator, may I remember that after thou 
didst create the earth thou didst say it was 
good. May I love the fragrance and beauty of the 
flowers which were made to nourish the soul, and 
the fruits and herbs which were made to nourish 
the body. May my song of thanksgiving be new 
every morning, as I awake in the abundance of 
what thou hast prepared. Amen. 



346 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-FOURTH 

John Knox died 1572. 

Baron Spinoza born 1632. 

Grace Darling born 1815. 

Frances Hodgson Burnett born 1849. 

I waited long until the sky 

Should give me of its blue 
To weave and wear, and share, and weave 

The very stars into. 
The days they went, the years they went, 

And left my hands instead 
Another thing for wonderment, 

The mending and the bread. 

Ah me, and one must set a hand 

To burnish up the task, 
And hush and hush the old demand 

A wakeful heart will ask. 
But with a star's clear eye on me, 

0, I can hear it said, 
"What souls there be that only see 

The mending and the bread!" 

— Josephine P. Peabody. 

The riches of a commonwealth 
Are free, strong minds and hearts of health. 
And more to her than gold or grain, 
The cunning hand and cultured brain, f 

— John G. Whittier. 

For the life is more than the food, and the body 
than the raiment. — Luke 12. 23. 

My Father, I pray that thou wilt help me, that I 
may not consume my life in preparing clothes and 
food for my body. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 347 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-FIFTH 

Charles Kemble born 1775. 
John Bigelow born 1817. 
Paul Haupt born 1858. 
John Kitto died 1854. 



I will not kill or hurt any living creature need- 
lessly, nor destroy any beautiful thing, but will 
strive to save and comfort all gentle life and guard 
and perfect all natural beauty on earth. I will 
strive to raise my own body and soul daily into all 
the higher powers of duty and happiness, not in 
rivalship or contention with others, but for help, 
delight, and honor of others and for the joy and 
peace of my own life. — John Ruskin. 



They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy 
mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowl- 
edge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. 

— Isaiah 11. 9. 



Lord God, I rejoice in the blessedness of peace. 
May I not try to force peace where cruelty has 
entered, but keep a watch for what may come into 
my life. I pray that if I may be in turbulence 
to-day, thou wilt quiet me with thy peace which 
knows no fear or wrong. Amen. 



348 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH 

Sir William Ware born 1594. 

John Elwes died 1789. 

John Loudoun Macadam died 1836. 



I'd like a way 
To change the clouds that bring us sorrow, 
And build to-day a bright to-morrow; 
To banish cares that tarry long, 
And have the days like the blue-bird's song — 

I'd like a way. 

I'll find a way — 
I'll set sail when the breeze is high, 
And calmly drift when pleasure 's nigh; 
I'll steer a course afar from tears, 
And take in joy the coming years — 

I'll find a way. 

I've lost the way ! 
Out through the gloom a beam of light 
Looks like a purpose looming bright! 
Up with the sail ! I'll out to sea 
And bring that purpose back with me, 

Or go its way. 

— M. B. S. 

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness : 
He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous. 

—Psalm 112. 4. 

My Father, I pray that I may not through indif- 
ference wander without a purpose, or through dis- 
couragement stumble through the darkness. May I 
be drawn to the light by the vision of hopeful and 
useful days. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 349 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-SEVENTH 
Horace died B. C. 8. 

Marquise d'Aubigne Maintenon born 1635. 
General Artemus Ward born 1727. 
Fanny Kemble born 1809. 
Alexandre Dumas died 1895. 



Be this thy brazen bulwark of defense, to pre- 
serve a conscience void of offense, and never turn 
pale with guilt. — Horace. 



Is life a noxious weed which whirlwinds sow? 
A useless flint o'er which the waters flow? 
Not so! 

A life well spent has not its weight in gold; 
It is the clearest crystal earth doth hold, 
A gem beside which suns seem dull and cold. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



That they may lay hold on the life which is life 
indeed— 1 Timothy 6. 19. 



Lord God, I pray that my life may not be im- 
poverished by neglect, nor burdened with indul- 
gences, but that it may be kept in condition for 
high endeavors. Grant that I may never be content 
to rest in satisfaction and ease when I could 
struggle and accomplish a good work. Amen. 



350 



LEAVES OF LITE 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-EIGHTH 

William Blake born 1757. 
Anton G. Rubinstein born 1829, 
Washington Irving died 1859. 



The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from 
which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound 
we seek to heal, every other affliction to forget. 
Take warning by the bitterness of this thy contrite 
affliction over the dead, and henceforth be more 
faithful and affectionate in the discharge of thy 
duties to the living. — Washington Irving. 



Joy and woe are woven fine, 
A clothing for the soul divine; 
Every grief and pine 
Runs a joy with a silken twine. 

—William Blake. 



Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be 
turned into joy. — John 16. 20. 



Heavenly Father, grant that I may not lose the 
kindness that I may give and receive to-day. I 
thank thee for the memories of yesterday, the hope 
of to-morrow, and the wisdom of to-day. May I 
have a vision of immortality that will keep me 
through the closest sorrow. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 351 



NOVEMBER TWENTY-NINTH 

Sir Philip Sidney born 1554. 
A. Bronson Alcott born 1799. 
Wendell Phillips born 1811. 
Louisa M. Alcott born 1832. 



Truth is sensitive and jealous of the least en- 
croachment of its sacredness. — A. Bronson Alcott. 



Faith that withstood the shocks of toil and time, 

Hope that defied despair, 

Patience that conquered care, 
And loyalty whose courage was sublime; 

Teaching us how to seek the highest goal, 

To earn the true success; 

To live to love, to bless, 
And make death proud to take a royal soul. 

— Louisa M. Alcott. 

Nor is it 

Wiser to weep a true occasion lost, 

But trim our sails, and let old bygones be. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot 
lie, promised before times eternal. — Titus 1. 2. 



Heavenly Father, I pray that I may live in 
truth; and without fear of life or death live content 
in the faith of eternal life. Amen. 



352 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



NOVEMBER THIRTIETH 

Peregrine White born New England 1620. 
Jonathan Swift born 1667. 
Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) born 1835. 
Winston Churchill born 1874. 



He gave it for his opinion that whoever could 
make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to 
grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew 
before, would deserve better of mankind, and do 
more essential sendee to his country, than the 
whole race of politicians put together. 

— Jonathan Swift. 



That man may last, but never lives, 
Who much receives, but nothing gives; 
Whom none can love, whom none can thank, — 
Creation's blot, creation's blank. 

— Thomas Gibbons. 



Give, and it shall be given unto you; good 
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running 
over, shall they give into your bosom. For with 
what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you 
again. — Luke 6. 38. 

My Father, preserve my soul from all selfish- 
ness. May I delight in thy teaching as I trust in 
thy word. I pray that I may not only speak truth- 
fully, but that I may leave the door of my spirit 
open, that truth may always enter and abide con- 
tinually. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 353 



DECEMBER 

He comes — he comes — the Frost Spirit comes: 

You may trace his footsteps now 
On the naked woods and the blasted fields, 

And the brown hill's withered brow. 
He has smitten the leaves of the gray old trees, 

Where their green came forth, 
And the winds, which follow wherever he goes, 

Have shaken them down to earth. 

He comes — he comes — the Frost Spirit comes! 

Let us meet him as we may, 
And turn with the light of the parlor fire 

His evil power away; 
And gather closer the circle round, 

Where the firelight dances high, 
And laugh at the shriek of the baffled fiend, 

As his sounding wing goes by. 

—John G. Whittier. 



354 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER FIRST 

Dr. George Birkbeck died 1841. 
Queen Alexandra born 1844. 
R. W. Dale born 1829. 
Ebenezer Elliott died 1849. 



We would fill the hours with the sweetest things, 

If we had but a day: 
We should drink alone at the purest springs, 

In our upward way: 
We should guide our wayward or wearied will, 

By the clearest light: 
We should keep our eyes on the heavenly hills, 

If they lay in sight: 
We should be from our clamorous selves set free, 

To work and pray: 
And be what the Father would have us to be, 

If we had but a day. 

— Margaret E. Sangster. 

Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are 
honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever 
things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, what- 
soever things are of good report; if there be any 
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these 
things. — Philippians 4. 8. 



Gracious Father, help me to understand that my 
life grows out of what I put into my days. Forgive 
me for the unspoken words and the kind deeds 
which I kept for rare days, and had so few occa- 
sions to use. May I be as useful in kindness as I 
am in work, remembering that to thee every day is 
a golden day. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 355 



DECEMBER SECOND 
David Masson born 1822. 

John Brown hanged, Charlestown, West Virginia, 
1859. 

Hugh Miller died 1856. 



The solitude of life is known to us all; for the 
most part we are alone, and the voices of friends 
come only faint and broken across the impassable 
gulfs which surround every human soul. 

— Hamilton Mabie. 

To have an ideal or to have none, to have this 
ideal or that — this is what digs gulfs between men, 
even between those who live in the same family 
circle, under the same roof, or in the same room. 
You must love with the same love, think with the 
same thoughts as some one else if you are to escape 
solitude. — Amiel. 



The plans of the heart belong to man; 

But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. 

— Proverbs 16. 1. 

Lord God, help me to take in the glory of life, 
that my spirit may never be lonely, even though I 
may have to be much alone. I pray that thou wilt 
spare me the loneliness and the solitude that may 
be brought on by selfishness. Make me considerate 
of others. May I soar above the disappointments 
and losses that may come to me, and stay where I 
may have thy companionship. Amen. 



356 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER THIRD 

Samuel Crompton born 1753. 

Sir Frederick Leighton born 1830. 

Robert Louis Stevenson died 1894. 



To know what you prefer, instead of humbly 
saying "Amen" to what the world tells you you 
ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



There is precious instruction to be got by rinding 
we were wrong. Let a man try faithfully, man- 
fully to be right. He will grow daily more and 
more right. — Thomas Carlyle. 



The hero is the man who is immovably centered. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of 
faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil con- 
science: and having our body washed with pure 
water. — Hebrews 10. 22. 



Gracious Father, grant that I may not be con- 
tent to follow through ignorance and indolence and 
be led to the lowly paths of life. Make my life 
positive; and from my surroundings may I look out 
and struggle to mount to the highest ideals, that I 
may be qualified to select the best in life. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 357 



DECEMBER FOURTH 



Cardinal Richelieu died 1642. 
William Drummond died 1649. 
Madame Recamier born 1777. 
Thomas Carlyle born 1795. 
John Kitto born 1804. 



It is with a man's soul as it is with nature: the 
beginning of Creation is — Light. Till the eye have 
visions the whole members are in bonds. Divine 
moment, when over the tempest-tost Soul, as once 
over the wild- weltering Chaos, it is spoken: Let 
there be Light! — Thomas Carlyle. 



What in me is dark 
Illumine, what is low raise and support; 
That to the light of this great argument 
I may assert eternal Providence 
And justify the ways of God to men. 



For thou art my lamp, O Jehovah; 
And Jehovah will lighten my darkness. 

—2 Samuel 22. 29. 



My Lord, forgive me if I have allowed bitterness 
and misery to darken my life, for my soul yearns 
continually for the light. In thy compassion lead 
me to the "sunny side of the road where the beau- 
tiful flowers grow," that my path may be made 
bright and cheerful all the rest of the way. Amen. 




—John Milton. 



358 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER FIFTH 

Martin Van Buren, New York, eighth President 

United States, born 1782. 
Christina G. Rossetti born 1830. 
Alice Brown born 1857. 



A cold wind stirs the blackthorn 

To burgeon and to blow, 
Besprinkling half -green hedges 

With flakes and sprays of snow. 

Through coldness and through keenness, 

Dear hearts take comfort so: 
Somewhere or other doubtless 

These make the blackthorn blow. 

— Christina G. Rossetti. 



There are some men and women in whose com- 
pany we are always at our best. All the best stops 
in our nature are drawn out by their intercourse, 
and we find a music in our souls never there before. 

— Henry Drummond. 

And let us consider one another to provoke unto 
love and good works. — Hebrews 10. 24. 



My Father, I thank thee for life. Make me sensi- 
tive to the unseen influences that bring thy mes- 
sages. May I be led where great riches may be 
found through small kindnesses, and where I may 
learn from the meek the beauty of earth. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION' 359 



DECEMBER SIXTH 

General George Monk born 1608. 
Warren Hastings born 1732. 
Dr. Richard Barham born 1788. 



That low man seeks a little thing to do, 

Sees it and does it: 
This high man, with a great thing to pursue, 

Dies ere he knows it. 
That low man goes on adding one to one, 

His hundred's soon hit: 
This high man, aiming at a million, 

Misses an unit. 
That, has the world here — should he need the next, 

Let the world mind him ! 
This, throws himself on God, and unperplexed 

Seeking shall find him. 

— Robert Browning. 

Hitch your wagon to a star. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said 

unto thee, 
Thy face, Jehovah, will I seek. 

—Psalm 27. 8. 

Almighty God, show me what thou hast given 
for me to do, that I may not leave undone that 
which is mine. Forgive me for useless planning 
and blind asking for the things which cannot be 
mine. I pray that my work may be honest work, 
well done, and acceptable for thy service. Amen. 



360 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER SEVENTH 

Cicero assassinated B. C. 43. 

John Dalton born 1766. 

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland, born 1542. 



It is virtue — yes, let me repeat it again — it is 
virtue alone that can give birth, strength, and per- 
manency to friendship. For virtue is a uniform and 
steady principle ever acting consistently with itself. 

— Cicero. 



A common friendship — who talks of a common 
friendship? There is no such thing in the world. 
On earth no word is more sublime. 

— Henry Drummond. 



But thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, 
and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need. 

— Deuteronomy 15. 8. 



Lord God, wilt thou reveal to me my weakness if 
I may be insincere; and give me the strength that I 
lack to keep me true. May I not take advantage of 
the ignorant, or thoughtlessly lead the innocent into 
temptation. Grant that I may be a trustful and 
kind friend. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 361 



DECEMBER EIGHTH 

John Pym died 1643. 
Richard Baxter died 1691. 
Thomas De Quincey died 1859. 
Elihu Burritt born 1810. 
Robert Collyer born 1823. 



Into the dusk of the East, 

Gray with the coming of night, 
This may we know at least — 

After the night comes light! 
Over the mariners' graves, 

Grim in the depths below, 
Buoyantly breasting the waves, 

Into the East we go. 

On to a distant strand, 

Wonderful, far, unseen, 
On to a stranger land, 

Skimming the seas between; 
On through the days and nights, 

Hope in each sailor's breast, 
On till the harbor lights 

Flash on the shores of rest! 

— J. H. Jowett. 

So he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 

—Psalm 107. 30. 



Lord God, I pray that thou wilt provide me with 
thy indwelling peace. May it keep me reconciled 
to the decline of years, and enable me to bear 
the earthly separation from those whom I love. 
May I always have hope and trust in thee. Amen. 



362 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER NINTH 

John Milton born 1608. 

Sir Anthony Van Dyck died 1641. 

Joel Chandler Harris born 1848. 



Doth God exact day labor, light denied? 
I fondly ask: but Patience, to prevent 
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need 
Either man's work, or his own gifts; who best 
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best; his state 
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed, 
And post o'er land and ocean without rest; 
They also serve who only stand and wait." 

—John Milton. 



" 'Tain't on'y chilluns w'at got de consate er doin' 
eve'ything dey see yuther folks do. Hit's grown 
folks w'at oughter know better," said Uncle Remus. 

— Joel Chandler Harris. 



Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be 
shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer 
service well-pleasing to God with reverence and 
awe. — Hebrews 12. 28. 



My Father, teach me to select my work from that 
which is noble and true. May I not mold my life 
in affectation or feel that I must imitate the lives of 
others, but grant that I may perfect my life through 
experiences which are worthy of increasing en- 
deavors. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 363 



DECEMBER TENTH 

Thomas Holcroft born 1745. 

Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet born 1787. 

Eugene Sue born 1804. 



Be of good cheer. Do not think of to-day's 
failures, but of success that may come to-morrow. 
You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you 
will succeed if you persevere; and you will have a 
joy in overcoming obstacles — a delight in climbing 
rugged paths which you would perhaps never know 
if you did not sometimes slip backward, if the road 
were always smooth and pleasant. Remember, no 
effort that we make to attain something beautiful is 
ever lost. — Helen Keller. 



We rise by things that are beneath our feet, 
By what we have mastered by good and gain, 
By the pride deposed and passion slain, 

And the vanquished ills that we hourly meet. 

— J. G. Holland. 

He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit 
down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, 
and sat down with my Father in his throne. 

— Revelation 3. 21. 

My Father, I pray that I may not be given to 
contradicting and doubting, nor take for granted 
that which needs to be considered. Grant that I 
may have the faith and strength of heart to fulfill 
the longings of my soul. Amen. 



364 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER ELEVENTH 

Sir Roger L'Estrange died 1704. 
Dr. William Cullen born 1712. 
Colley Cibber died 1757. 



Lord, subdue our selfish will; 

Each to each our tempers suit, 
By thy modulating skill, 

Heart to heart, as lute to lute. 

— Charles Wesley. 

One of the last, slowly murmured sayings of Whit- 
tier, was this: "Give — my — love — to — the — world." 
And this is the world's supreme need to-day; more 
than our eloquence, or our knowledge, or our wealth, 
or all else besides, it needs our love. True, even 
love may sometimes err; but the cure for love's 
mistakes is just more love; we often blunder be- 
cause we do not love enough. God help us all that, 
like Whittier, we may live and die, giving our love 
to the world. — George Jackson. 



Love never faileth. — 1 Corinthians 13. 8. 



Lord God, help me to see the beauty of the world, 
and through my duty may I find the love in the 
world. May I not spend my life in discontent, but 
may I remember that thou hast said, "The meek 
shall inherit the earth." Fill my heart with com- 
passion, that I may love my fellow man as I love 
myself. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 365 



DECEMBER TWELFTH 

Chief Justice John Jay born 1745. 
Gustav Flaubert born 1821. 
Robert Browning died 1889. 



A people is but the attempt of many 
To rise to the completer life of one. 
And those who live for models for the mass 
Are singly of more value than they all. 

— Robert Browning. 



Give me the power to labor for mankind; 

Make me the mouth of such as cannot speak; 
Eyes let me be to groping men and blind; 

A conscience to the base; and to the weak 
Let me be hands and feet, and to the foolish, mind; 

And lead still further on such as thy kingdom 
seek. 

— Theodore Parker. 



I was eyes to the blind, 
And feet was I to the lame. 

—Job 29. 15. 



Almighty God, wilt thou guide me in the direc- 
tion where I may choose a useful life; open wide my 
heart as well as my eyes, that I may early see my 
work and be diligent in its prosecution. Reveal to 
me, when I may have failed, that I may do better 
to-morrow. Amen, 



366 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER THIRTEENTH 

William Drummond born 1585. 
Dr. Samuel Johnson died 1784. 
Joseph Noel Paton born 1821. 
Phillips Brooks born 1835. 
Hamilton Mabie born 1846. 



When the clouds of sorrow gather over us, we see 
nothing beyond them, nor can imagine how they 
can be dispelled; yet a new day succeeded to the 
night, and sorrow is never long without a dawn of 
ease. — Dr. Samuel Johnson. 



The fountains of joy and sorrow are for the most 
part locked up in ourselves. . . . There come to 
great, solitary, and sorely smitten souls moments of 
clear insight, of assurance of victory, of unspeakable 
fellowship with truth and life and God, which out- 
weigh years of sorrow and bitterness. 

—Hamilton Mabie. 

And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see 
you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your 
joy no one taketh away from you. — John 16. 22. 



My Father, may I remember that the days of my 
life that I give over to grief can never be reclaimed. 
Help me that I may not want to keep sorrow in my 
life, but with faith may I believe that "weeping may 
endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." 
Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 367 



DECEMBER FOURTEENTH 

Daniel Neal born 1678. 
Rev. Charles Wolfe born 1791. 
George Washington died 1799. 
Frances Ridley Havergal born 1836. 



Seldom can the heart be lonely, 

If it seek a lonelier still; 
Self-forgetting, seeking only 

Emptier cups of love to fill. 

— Frances R. Havergal. 

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought 
I summon up remembrance of things past, 

I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought. 

And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste 



But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, 
All losses are restored, and sorrows end. 

— William Shakespeare. 

The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of 
them that are taught, that I may know how to 
sustain with words him that is weary. — Isaiah 50. 4. 



Gracious Father, keep me cheerful and coura- 
geous, that I may not be given to weary murmur- 
ings. May my hours of solitude be spent profitably 
as they pass. Grant that I may be a help to those 
who are in need of sympathy and encouragement, 
and through the peace that is given to me help 
them to a tranquil life. Amen. 



368 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER FIFTEENTH 

Catherine of Aragon born 1485. 
George Romney born 1734. 
Franklin B. Sanborn born 1831. 



Yet frequent visitors shall kiss the shrine, 
And ever keep its vestal lamp alight; 

All noble thoughts, all dreams divinely bright, 
That waken or delight this soul of mine. 

— F. B. Sanborn. 

One small cloud can hide the sunlight; 
Loose one string, the pearls are scattered; 
Think one thought, a soul may perish; 
Say one word, a heart may break. 

— A. A. Procter. 

Self-scrutiny is often the most unpleasant, and 
always the most difficult, of moral actions. But it 
is also the most important and salutary; for, as the 
wisest of the Greeks said, "An unexamined life is 
not worth living." — J. Strachan. 



Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; 
prove your own selves. — 2 Corinthians 13. 5. 



Gracious Father, help me that I may not be 
thoughtless and unkind. May I be gentle and 
sympathetic. Forgive me for any unhappiness 
which I may have made, and may it be mine to 
know the rejoicing that comes in lifting a dis- 
couraged life in time. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 369 



DECEMBER SIXTEENTH 

John Selden born 1584. 

Francois La Rochefoucauld born 1610. 

George Whitefield born 1714. 

Jane Austen born 1775. 



So live that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan that moves 
To that mysterious realm where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 
Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night, 
Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave 
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him and lies down to pleasant dreams. 

— William Cullen Bryant. 



As the wind extinguishes a taper but kindles the 
fire, so absence is the death of an ordinary passion, 
but lends strength to the greater. 

— La Rochefoucauld. 



If a man die, shall he live again? — Job 14. 14. 



Heavenly Father, with thy help may I enter into 
the hope that overcomes the fear of death. May 
my days be full of aspiration, and through faith 
may my life move toward the eternal and the 
sublime. Amen. 



370 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER SEVENTEENTH 

Sir Roger L'Estrange born 1616. 
Ludwig van Beethoven born 1770. 
Sir Humphry Davy born 1779. 
John Greenleaf Whittier born 1807. 



The night is mother of the day, 

The winter of the spring; 
And ever upon old decay 

The greenest mosses cling. 
Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, 

Through showers the sunbeams fall; 
For God, who loveth all his works, 

Has left his hope with all. 

— John Greenleaf Whittier. 

The sun set; but not his hope: 
Stars rose; his faith was earlier up. 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

What I am I have made myself. 

— Sir Humphry Davy. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: 
My flesh also shall dwell in safety. 

—Psalm 16. 9. 



My Father, may I never be content to pass by 
thy beautiful offerings and keep on in wretched 
despair. Save me if I may be inclining toward 
misery. Give me the spirit of repose, and help me 
to confide in thee as I daily seek the strength of thy 
love. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 371 



DECEMBER EIGHTEENTH 

Charles Wesley born 1708. 
Lyman Abbott born 1835. 
Samuel Rogers died 1855. 
Sir Joseph John Thomson born 1845. 



And let this feeble body fail, 

And let it faint or die; 
My soul shall quit this mournful vale, 

And soar to worlds on high. 

— Charles Wesley. 

It were better to live an immortal life and be 
robbed of immortality hereafter by some supernal 
power, than to live the mortal, fleshly animal life, 
and live it endlessly. Who would not rather have a 
right to immortality than to be immortal without 
a right to be? — Lyman Abbott. 

So when a great man dies, 

For years beyond our ken, 
The light he leaves behind him lies 

Upon the paths of men. 

— Henry W. Longfellow. 

But he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the 
Spirit reap eternal life. — Galatians 6. 8. 



My Father, I pray that I may be spared the de- 
privations that may come from years spent in self- 
ishness. Help me to realize before it is too late 
how little self can hold and how much remorse 
may accumulate. Help me to aspire to ideals that 
compel me to live an immortal life. Amen. 



872 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER NINETEENTH 

Gustavus Adolphus born 1594. 
Horatio Bonar born 1808. 
F. Delsarte born 1811. 
Mary A. Livermore born 1820. 
J. M. W. Turner died 1851. 



If a man is to be a pillar in the temple of his God 
by and by, he must be some kind of a prop in God's 
house to-day. We are here to support, not to be 
supported. No one can be a living stone on the 
foundations of the Spiritual House which is God's 
habitation without being a foundation to the stones 
above him. — Maltbie Babcock. 



Since trifles make the sum of human things, 
And half our misery from our foibles springs; 
Since life's best joys consist in peace and ease, 
O let th' ungentle spirit learn from hence, 
A small unkindness is a great offense. 

— Hannah More. 

He that overcometh I will make a pillar in the 
temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no 
more. — Revelation 3. 12. 



My Father, grant that I may not deceive myself 
and expect big results from little efforts; nor be 
willing to receive assistance and refuse my support. 
May I not only be anxious to give others all that I 
can, and share their burdens, but may I be glad to 
help make fewer burdens for others to bear. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 373 



DECEMBER TWENTIETH 

Louis the Dauphin died 1765. 
John Wilson Croker born 1780. 
Cyrus Townsend Brady born 1861. 



Love is not love 
Which alters when it alteration finds, 

Or bends with the remover to remove. 
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark 

That looks on tempests and is never shaken. 
It is the star to every wandering bark, 

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be 
taken. 

— William Shakespeare. 



I will not doubt the love untold 

Which not my worth nor want hath bought, 
Which wooed me young and wooes me old, 

And to this evening hath me brought. 

— Henry David Thoreau. 



Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: 
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 

— Jeremiah 31. 3. 



Loving Father, teach me the secret of constancy, 
that none may ever be disappointed in me. May I 
not reckon what I give on recompense, but have the 
spirit of giving which has no measure for what it 
may receive in return. May I not be forgetful of 
thy love which will hold me to deeper reverence 
and devotion. Amen. 



374 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER TWENTY-FIRST 

Jean Baptiste Racine born 1639. 
Robert Moffat born 1795. 
Laura Bridgman born 1829. 



To think and to feel constitute the two grand 
divisions of men and genius — the men of reasoning 
and the men of imagination. — Disraeli. 



Grow old along with me ! the best is yet to be, 

The last of life, for which the first was made : 
Our times are in his hand who saith, a whole I 
planned, 

Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be 
afraid ! 

— Robert Browning. 



But the path of the righteous is as the dawning 
light, 

That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 

— Proverbs 4. 18. 



Almighty God, I pray that I may have the grace 
to penetrate the deep things of life and test their 
truth and greatness. May I have faith in thy 
power and train for the best which thou hast made 
possible for me to live. Help me to think and feel 
aright, that I may be thine to-day, and in the days 
of to-morrow may I still be thine, ever keeping 
bright memories of past days. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 375 



DECEMBER TWENTY-SECOND 

Franz Abt born 1819. 

Thomas W. Higginson born 1823. 

George Eliot died 1880. 



Love and Pain 
Make their own measure of all things that be. 
No clock's slow ticking marks their deathless strain; 
The life they own is not the life we see; 
Love's single moment is eternity. 

— Thomas W. Higginson. 

Life is made stronger 

Giving, receiving; 
Love is made longer 

Hoping, believing. 

Life is made sweeter, 

Truly worth living; 
Love is completer, 

Trusting, forgiving. 

— M. B. S. 

In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned 
one to another; in honor preferring one another. 

— Romans 12. 10. 



Loving Father, I thank thee that every morn 
breaks in a new day without the sadness of yester- 
day or the gladness of to-morrow. I pray that I 
may not lose the love and joy that it brings to-day. 
Amen. 



376 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER TWENTY-THIRD 

Michael Drayton died 1631. 
Robert Barclay born 1648. 
James Sargent Storer died 1854. 



When heaven endows you with all gifts, you are 
an incomplete being if you stay still in your corner 
instead of taking advantage of your real value. 

— Marie Bashkirtseff . 



Life, which ought to be a thing complete in itself, 
and ought to be spent partly in gathering materials, 
and partly in drawing inferences, is apt to be a 
hurried accumulation lasting to the edge of the 
tomb. We are put into the world, I cannot help 
feeling, to be rather than do. — Arthur C. Benson, 



Jehovah is the strength of my life. — Psalm 27. 1J 



Heavenly Father, I pray that thou wilt reverse 
my standards of life if I may be striving only for 
selfish gain. May I care for all that I could be, and 
may I care for where I should be found, but, most 
of all, may I care for what I really am. Help me to 
keep my mind on thee that I may find delight in 
doing thy will. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 377 



DECEMBER TWENTY-FOURTH 

George Crabbe born 1754. 

Kit Carson born 1809. 

Matthew Arnold born 1822. 

John Morley born 1838. 

William Makepeace Thackeray died 1863. 



Ah, friend, let us be true 
To one another! For the world, which seems 
To lie before us like a land of dreams, 

So various, so beautiful, so new, 

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, 
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain, 
And we are here as on a darkling plain 

Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, 

Where ignorant armies clash by night. 

— Matthew Arnold. 



We take care of our health, we lay up money, we 
make our roof tight and our clothing sufficient, but 
who provides wisely that we shall not be wanting 
in the best property of all — friends? 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Faithful are the wounds of a friend. 

—Proverbs 27. 6. 



Gracious Lord, fill my life with the spirit of love 
and sacrifice. I bless thee for the deep fellowships 
and tender intimacies; and on the eve of this Christ- 
mas ask thy blessing for all, as my heart rings with 
joy for those whom I love. Amen. 



378 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER TWENTY-FIFTH 

Christmas Day, 
Sir Isaac Newton born 164*2. 
William Collins born 17*21. 
Father Taylor born 1794. 



This is the month, and this is the happy morn. 

Wherein the Son of heaven's eternal King, 
Of wedded maid, and virgin mother born. 

Our great redemption from above did bring. 

— John Milton. 

Christma.s is here: 
Winds whistle shrill, 
Icy and chill, 
Little care we; 
Little we fear 
Weather without, 
Shelter" d about 
The Mahogany tree. 

— William M. Thackeray, 

And the angel said unto them. Be not afraid: for 
behold. I bring you good tidings of great joy, which 
shall be to all the people: for there is born to you 
this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is 
Christ the Lord.— Luke *2. 10, 11. 



Almighty God. I give honor and praise to express 
my joy for thy great love in the gift of thy Son. 
Jesus Christ. With a glad heart I wish all man- 
kind "A merry Christma.s. " and may I ever remem- 
ber, where the angels sang, "Peace on earth, good 
will toward men." Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 379 



DECEMBER TWENTY-SIXTH 

Thomas Gray born 1716. 
Mrs. Southworth born 1818. 
Stephen Girard died 1831. 

Let not ambition mock their useful toil, 
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure; 

Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile 
The short and simple annals of the poor. 

Nor you, ye proud, impute to those the fault, 

If memory o'er their tomb no trophies raise, 
Where, through the long-drawn aisle and fretted 
vault, 

The pealing anthem swells the note of praise. 

Full many a gem of purest ray serene 

The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear; 

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 
And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 

— Thomas Gray. 

Jehovah, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes 
. lofty; 

Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, 
Or in things too wonderful for me. 

—Psalm 131. 1, 

Gracious Father, give me the courage to live my 
life, and the endurance to overcome the disappoint- 
ments that may come to me. May I not be neglect- 
ful of the great opportunities of which I am 
privileged to take advantage. May I not be pre- 
tentious of what I have not done, or boastful of 
what I am, but with my best ability live in truth. 
Amen. 



380 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER TWENTY-SEVENTH 

Jacques Bernoulli born 1654. 
Johann Kepler born 1571. 
Charles Lamb died 1834. 



There is a time in every man's education when he 
arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; 
that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself 
for better or worse, as his portion; that, though the 
wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourish- 
ing corn can come to him but through his toil be- 
stowed on that plot of ground which is given him to 
till. — Ralph Waldo Emerson. 



Knowing ourselves, our world, our task so great, 

Our time so brief, 'tis clear if we refuse 

The means so limited, the tools so rude 

To execute our purpose, life will fleet, 

And we shall fade, and leave our task undone. 

— Robert Browning. 

Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, 
and to work with your hands. 

— 1 Thessalonians 4. 11. 



Lord God of life, give me the desire to learn, and 
the wisdom to live in my best. May I not fail to 
culture my mind and heart and make life produc- 
tive and worthy. Help me to see the mistakes that 
I have made in the past, and in the year that is 
approaching not only try to avoid them, but try to 
make amends for them. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 381 



DECEMBER TWENTY-EIGHTH 

Catherine M. Sedgwick born 1789. 
Woodrow Wilson, Virginia, twenty-seventh Presi- 
dent United States, born 1856. 
Thomas B. Macaulay died 1859. 



The government might be serviceable for many 
things. It might assist in a hundred ways to safe- 
guard the lives and the health and promote the com- 
fort and happiness of the people; but it can do these 
things only if they respond to public opinion, only 
if those who lead government see the country as 
a whole, feel a deep thrill of intimate sympathy with 
every class and every interest in it. 

— Woodrow Wilson. 



The hearts of men are their books; events are 
their tutors; great actions are their eloquence. 

— Thomas B. Macaulay. 



Be of good courage, and let us play the man for 
our people, and for the cities of our God: and Jeho- 
vah do that which seemeth him good. 

—2 Samuel 10. 12. 



Lord God, I pray that my estimate of life may 
not be as I take it, but as thou hast given it for 
peace and prosperity. Teach me my duty to my 
country, and make me useful in uplifting and 
serving humanity. Amen. 



382 



LEAVES OF LIFE 



DECEMBER TWENTY-NINTH 
Thomas a Becket died 1170. 

Andrew Johnson, Tennessee, seventeenth President 

United States, born 1808. 
William E. Gladstone born 1809. 
Margaret Bottome born 1827. 

Pauline O. Louise, Queen of Roumania (Carmen 

Sylva), born 1843. 
Christina G. Rossetti died 1894. 

One example is worth a thousand arguments. 

— William E. Gladstone. 

One day at a time ! That's all it can be 
No faster than that is the hardest of fate, 

And days have their limit, however we 
Begin them too early or stretch them late. 

—J. R. Miller. 

He lives happy and master of himself 
Who can say, as each day passes on, 
I have lived! no matter whether to-morrow 
The great Father shall give us a clouded sky or a 
clear day. 

— Horace. 

Give us this day our daily bread. — Matthew 6. 11. 

Eternal God, guard me against the love of praise, 
that I may not lose the sense of duty. Start me for 
the right places and give me strength with my days, 
that I may press toward their possession. Deliver 
me from drifting when it is mine to pull against the 
tide, that I may not be carried out of my course. 
Shield me from the storms that may gather about 
me, and bring us all to the desired haven safe in thy 
keeping. Amen. 



FOR DAILY INSPIRATION 383 



DECEMBER THIRTIETH 

Titus born A. D. 40. 
William R. Alger born 1822. 
Rudyard Kipling born 1865. 



God of our fathers, known of old, 

Lord of our far-flung battle line, 
Beneath whose awful hand we hold 

Dominion over palm and pine: 
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, 
Lest we forget — lest we forget! 

For heathen heart that puts her trust 

In reeking tube and iron shard; 
All valiant dust that builds on dust, 

And guarding calls not thee to guard: 
For frantic boast and foolish word, 
Thy mercy on thy people, Lord! Amen. 

— Rudyard Kipling. 



But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, for it 
is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. 

— Deuteronomy 8. 18. 



Almighty God, as I come to thee wilt thou forgive 
me for the errors I have made, and for the promises 
that I have broken. Help me to be as true as the 
holly that keeps itself red through the snow. Re- 
mind me of my opportunities as I breathe in thy 
blessings, "Lest I forget!" Amen. 



384 LEAVES OP LIFE 



DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST 

New Year's Eve. 

John Wycliffe died 1384. 

Battle of Wakefield 1460. # 

Charles Marquis Cornwallis born 1738. 



Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, 
The flying cloud, the frosty light : 
The year is dying in the night; 

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. 

Ring out old shapes of foul disease, 
Ring out the narrow lust of gold: 

Ring out the thousand wars of old, 
Ring in the thousand years of peace. 

— Alfred Tennyson. 

Let every dawn of morning be to you as the 
beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as 
its close. — John Ruskin. 



The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: 
let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and 
let us put on the armor of light. — Romans 13. 12. 



My Father, as I look to the past days, I feel 
much of my happiness and much of my misery has 
come from my own choice. May I be more watch- 
ful of my standards and less wasteful of my time, 
and keep a poise in life that will leave a memory of 
well-spent days. For the year that has passed and 
for its blessings I thank thee. Amen. 



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